Tsuut'ina Nation Christmas market hopes to spark economic recovery for local small businesses

The Tsuut’ina Nation launched its first annual Christmas market this weekend and it couldn’t have come at a more important time for small businesses struggling to bounce back from financial losses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Christmas at the Nation features 75 local vendors, more than half of which are Indigenously-owned.

The market runs Saturday and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. where booths have been set up inside the 7 Chiefs Sportsplex & Chief Jim Starlight Centre.

“It’s so important to support local businesses especially at this time, due to the COVID pandemic, when a lot of businesses have really been hard hit on their sales,” said Cieran Starlight, manager of marketing communication with Taza Development Corp., the sponsor of the event.

“We really wanted to create an opportunity where these businesses are able to have that more personal touch.”

The opportunity is especially impactful for local businesses like Wild Rose Creations, which sells handcrafted beads.

Owner Alberta Otter says 85 to 90 per cent of her sales come from in-person trade shows, many of which have been shut down for months.

“It hit me so hard, because my business supports me and my children and not being able to come out and do events like this hurt our ability to buy groceries, clothes, stuff like that,” Otter said.

“I noticed before that people were scared to come and meet me for a hand-to-hand exchange, we had to adjust to more internet sales, but the easing of restrictions really helps local artists like me.”

Vendors like Roy Clissold who owns Odawa Studio who specializes in making stained-glass items immediately saw increased sales because of the market.

“I’ve been here for an hour and a half and I’ve already exceeded the expected sales I had for the entire day,” he said.

“So many people are struggling, it’s pathetic to see how they’re faring in this atmosphere, but we sell mostly at shows where you can touch and feel the product and I think that’s what most people are after.

ALBERTA SMALL BUSINESSES CALL FOR EASE IN COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS

According to a recent survey from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), about 66 per cent of Alberta small business owners say if the current restrictions remain it will significantly harm their bottom line.

CFIB Alberta director Annie Dormuth is now calling on the provincial government to remove the one-third capacity restrictions on retail businesses or allow them to access the $2,000 Restrictions Exemption Program grant.

“We are hearing close to 70 per cent of Alberta small businesses have cited that capacity restriction as harming their business,” Dormuth said.

“And of course, retail businesses are worried again with the restrictions in place that customers have pretty much permanently moved to online shopping, instead of in-person shopping.”

The CFIB says half of Alberta small businesses were less profitable over the 2020 holiday season compared to 2019. On top of that, 84 per cent are worried customers will spend less this year and only 40 per cent are optimistic this year’s holiday season will be more profitable than last year.

Premier Jason Kenney is expected to announce an easing of COVID-19 restrictions in an announcement on Tuesday.

He did not make any mention however of a removal of the one-third capacity restriction for Alberta small businesses.

“I can tell you that with my own family I’ll be gathering with three family members all together, we’re all fully vaccinated, we come from three households, only four people, but we wouldn’t be able to do that on Christmas based on the current rules,” Kenney said Friday.

“I don’t want to create a situation where we have millions of Albertans violating the rules when we’re not in a current emergency situation so that’s what we’re looking at on Tuesday, we’ll be very clear and that information will be available next week.”