Gold River has come out in support of local businesses by organizing a 鈥榮hop local鈥� initiative in the community.

All purchases made from June 1, at any of the local shops will earn community members a chance to enter a lucky draw on July 3, to win $200 in gift certificates which they can spend at local businesses before Thanksgiving.

Shops in Gold River have kept 鈥榮hop local jars鈥� for shoppers to drop in their purchase coupons with their details on it.

Gold River chamber of commerce and Economic Development Committee EDC will issue 10 gift certificates that total to $2,000.

Open to residents of Gold River and Tsaxana, the idea is to encourage people to spend money in Gold River and contribute towards reviving the economy which was hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, said councillor Rachel Stratton a member of the EDC.

Though plans to implement initiatives like this have been in the pipeline for a while, Stratton, feels that the timing right now is apt to make the initiative more valuable for residents and local business owners.

Stratton said that the shop local initiative is a pilot project, which can be spun into an annual event in the future.

鈥淚t鈥檚 not a costly affair to organize and this is an initiative the residents can participate as a community,鈥� said Stratton who also said that future plans might include expanding the program to nearby communities like Tahsis.

The community had displayed support for similar initiatives in the past too when the chamber issued local currency 鈥楪old River bucks鈥� to be spent within the village.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a small community, so people know the shop owners and their families too, and they want to be supportive,鈥� said Stratton.