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Discover and Support Calgary’s Local Businesses in 2024 with Erin Chrusch, Leader, Business & Local Economy

The Importance of Supporting Local Businesses with Jay Vaughan, President and Founder of Mountain Cultures

The Importance of Supporting Local Businesses with Brenda Ashton, CEO of Royale Round Cookies Company

Calgarians love supporting local businesses. These tools will hel​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​​p them find you.

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• Improving the journey from idea to opening a business in Calgary.
• Making it easier for the Film industry to do business in Calgary.
• Developing tools and online resources to assist businesses through their life-cycle.
• Continually hosting webinars  on topics of interest to small businesses
• Maintaining regular communication with the community and collaborative partners to gather insights and feedback.
• Providing free one-on-one Digital Service Squad service to eligible small business across Calgary to adopt new technologies and embrace digital marketing.
• Enabling researchers, developers, and companies to develop and test new applications and technologies in Calgary’s 5G Discovery Zone

• Created a #SupportLocalYYCcampaign to encourage Calgarians to support local businesses. As part of this, we also provided marketing resources for businesses so they too could promote buying locally.
• Provided Canada's first virtual one window approach to permitting online. We offer live chat, saving business applicants time and money.

• Approved pop-up and interim businesses in all commercial areas (another Canada first). This eliminates lengthy approval process and licensing restrictions. 
• Created a Business and Local Economy team to support businesses by finding opportunities to simplify City processes, cutting down the time and cost to start a business, and promoting innovation.
  
• Created the Business Experience Improvement Programto support people through the process to establish a small business. 
• Created a ‘Living Lab’ program to open City of Calgary assets to companies and researchers, to test and try their ideas and products.
• Created a Business Advisory Committee made up of members of the local business community.
• Established a Film Friendly team to enhance services and support for the film industry, making Calgary a premier destination for film, TV, and digital media production.
• Removed the requirement for a Development Permit in certain situations to make it easier for business owners to adapt their spaces to a new use.