STRAIT AREA - Two different municipal councils have taken a coordinated approach to support small business as the COVID-19 pandemic and its accompanying social-distancing regulations continue to hamper the Nova Scotia economy.

Richmond Municipal Council and Port Hawkesbury Town Council have each designated "Shop Local Days" in recent weeks, as part of the "Cape Breton First" campaign launched by the Cape Breton Partnership. Richmond councillors declared that "Shop Local Days" in their county will take place from December 21-24 to capitalize on the last week prior to Christmas, while Port Hawkesbury has designated January 21 as a "Shop Local Day" within the town. 

Addressing the campaign after the December 21 regular meeting of Richmond Municipal Council, Warden Amanda Mombourquette - a past executive director of the Strait Area Chamber of Commerce - praised county residents for their efforts in supporting local businesses that have struggled over the past year. 

"I've been really impressed by how Richmond County, and really, all Cape Breton residents have been shopping locally," the warden told reporters at the Richmond Municipal Building in Arichat.

"It's a really tough time for businesses right now - our economy depends on visitors from afar. So it's in all of our best interests to support local [businesses] like that."

At the same meeting, District One councillor Shawn Samson expressed optimism as a result of his experiences within the food delivery industry. Samson noted that his deliveries to Baddeck and Cheticamp during the fall of 2020 saw an increase in sales from the same period in 2019, proving that Atlantic Canadians - and Cape Bretoners in particular - are still willing to support their own in these difficult times.