To help support our local small businesses, today Wawa is joining the ShopHERE powered by Google program. ShopHERE in collaboration with the Economic Development Corporation of Wawa and the Wawa Business Improvement Association looks to help over 100 local businesses get online this year.
ShopHERE powered by Google, which started in the City of Toronto, helps independent businesses and artists build or improve their digital presence and minimize the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. In May, Google Canada announced a one million dollar investment to enable Digital Main Street’s to expand the program to municipalities across the country, offering more businesses and artists the opportunity to build their own online store.
The opportunities afforded by the digital economy are still limited if people don’t have the right skills. Understanding this from the outset, the program has been designed to help more small businesses and artists receive the digital skills training needed to participate in the digital economy.
The program is now available to small businesses in Wawa. Local businesses and artists can apply for the program at www.digitalmainstreet.ca/shophere to get their online store built at no-cost.
“Wawa has a thriving community of local bricks and mortar and home-based businesses as well as artisans and artists that will benefit from the program,” says Andy Stevens, Chair of the EDC. “It will make getting online accessible and serve to support businesses and the Wawa Goose Nest Market vendors to access a wider market segment that was not available to these businesses in the past.”
“The Wawa BIA and EDC Wawa are working in concert to help bring the ShopHERE program to local businesses, artisans and artists with the understanding that if businesses are going to thrive in the information era they must have an online presence that is attractive and functional. A big thank you to all the companies and teams involved that are making this program possible.” Liz Talian Clarke, Chair of the Wawa BIA.
“Since Google began its business in Canada nearly twenty years ago, we’ve been focused on helping Canadian businesses of all sizes to unlock the prosperity of the internet,” says Sabrina Geremia, VP and Country Manager, Google Canada. “We remain optimistic and more determined than ever that technology is the toolkit for a world of opportunities. Our one million dollar investment will go towards expanding the ShopHERE program nationally, so we can help small businesses across Canada navigate the challenges ahead.”
To find out more about the ShopHERE program, contact the EDC Wawa at smohamed@edcwawa.ca, by phone 705 856 4419, or go to www.digitalmainstreet.ca/shophere to register directly.
