CALGARY – The country's largest association of medium and small business owners is asking all Canadians to consider going to their own local businesses for their shopping needs on Saturday.

Small Business Saturday, now in its seventh year, was created by the Canadian Federation of Independent Business in partnership with Interac to honour entrepreneurs who do so much to support their local economies.

The CFIB says those businesses are the "cornerstone of their community."

"These entrepreneurs word hard every day to create jobs, keep our neighbourhoods vibrant and bring quality products and services to our markets," says CFIB president Dan Kelly in a release. "On Small Business Saturday, we want to recognize that and celebrate their achievements."

According to a CFIB study, nine in 10 Canadians say small businesses are vital to their communities. Statistics show 60 per cent of the private sector labour force work in small businesses and it accounts for 85 per cent of the new jobs created between 2013 and 2017.

To find some small businesses in your community, you can consult the Shop Small Biz directory. Consumers are also encouraged to share their experiences on social media using the hashtag #SmallBizSaturday.