Shops in downtown Moncton. Image: Inda Intiar/Huddle

Downtown Centre-ville New Brunswick (DCNB) is launching an ad campaign to encourage the public to shop local during the critical holiday season, backed by a $44,403 funding from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

The project includes online and social media campaigns, as well as television commercials in both official languages on CTV, CBC and Radio Canada.

DCNB represents the province’s 26 Business Improvement Areas (BIAs), which focus solely on downtowns and represent the interests of downtown businesses.

Business Fredericton North Inc., Downtown Fredericton Inc., Downtown Moncton Centre-ville Inc. (DMCI), and Uptown Saint John are all members.

“This campaign is a reminder that by supporting local businesses we are supporting the heart and souls of our communities and helping to ensure their survival,” said Trina MacDonald, general manager of Business Fredericton North Inc. and past president of DCNB, in a release.

Downtown businesses across Canada have been hard hit by pandemic-related restrictions and challenges.

In Moncton, DMCI executive director Anne Poirier Basque said in a previous interview that Covid-19 has “hollowed out” the downtown core, as only one-third of the 22,000 workers there have returned.

“Downtown grew and developed, and has all kinds of cafes, restaurants and businesses, and that was to sustain 22,000 people coming to work,” she said.

“Well, the restaurants, for instance, they’re cutting back staff. The hotels are only operating at 6 percent. The retailers are reducing their hours and also their personnel, so all of this affects our businesses for sure.”

The government is strongly encouraging Canadians to shop local online.

“This campaign will provide the momentum downtown businesses need to boost their sales. I’m proud that our government is providing critical support to local downtown businesses in communities across our province, at a time when they need it the most,” said René Arseneault, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, in a release.