Strengthening Local Economies Through Connection and Community.
From Pandemic Crisis to Purposeful Community Support
In the early days of the pandemic, East Toronto came together quickly to support local businesses. Online platforms became lifelines, offering real-time updates, emotional support, and much-needed visibility to struggling storefronts. But as pandemic-era restrictions lifted, the existing “shop local” online spaces—once useful—became overwhelmed with irrelevant content, lacked moderation, and lost their sense of community.
Recognizing that the spirit of local support was still alive—but the format needed a reset—Shop Local: East Toronto was created as a new, more thoughtful space to connect residents with small businesses in a meaningful, positive, and personal way.
Building a Platform, Rekindling the Connection
Small businesses across East Toronto still needed a cost-free, low-barrier way to market themselves. Residents still wanted to discover local gems. But the community needed:
- A more inclusive, accessible, and moderated platform
- A space with clear values and positive tone
- A re-focus on genuine local promotion—not clutter or complaint
The challenge wasn’t just technological—it was cultural. How do you design an online space that feels like a neighbourhood block party instead of a digital billboard?
Creating a Community, Not Just a Group
While completing her Master’s in Economic Development, Caroline Starr, Locality’s Economic Development Lead, noticed a gap in the small business ecosystem: too many businesses were struggling quietly, and too few had access to meaningful digital visibility.
With a group of committed local moderators, she helped launch Shop Local: East Toronto in early 2023 as a closed Facebook group designed for accessibility and warmth.
The platform prioritized:
- Encouraging tone and community guidelines
- Weekly prompts to spark conversation and discovery
- Positive storytelling, not critical reviews or complaints
- Relationship-building between residents and businesses
What Makes It Work
With 3,600 engaged members, Shop Local: East Toronto has become a go-to destination for:
- Word-of-mouth marketing: Neighbours sharing their favourite coffee shops, bookstores, florists, and services
- Celebrating new businesses: Grand openings, milestones, and success stories are front and centre
- Sourcing locally: People ask for recommendations and intentionally shift their spending to local options
- Humanizing business: Members rally around businesses going through tough times, recognizing that behind every storefront is a person—and a story
Moderators work behind the scenes to keep the group aligned with its mission: a kind, constructive space that promotes local resilience and keeps East Toronto connected through commerce.
A Digital Marketplace with a Heart
Since launching, Shop Local: East Toronto has:
- Provided a no-cost, high-trust marketing channel for small businesses
- Created a community of advocates who uplift and promote local enterprises
- Helped reframe shopping locally as a values-based lifestyle choice, not just a convenience
- Given small business owners a platform to be seen, supported, and celebrated during tough economic times
What started as a digital experiment has become a powerful engine for hyperlocal economic development—where every post has the potential to drive real dollars and real relationships.
Why It Matters to Locality
At Locality, we believe that economic development doesn’t only happen in boardrooms or business parks—it happens in comment sections, on community pages, and at the local level, one conversation at a time.
Shop Local: East Toronto exemplifies this. By curating a space where positivity, accessibility, and storytelling lead, it shows how grassroots platforms can meaningfully support small businesses—and reshape how communities support one another in the long run.
Services Provided: Platform Conceptualization, Community Engagement Strategy, Economic Development Support
Industry: Small Business Support + Community Development + Digital Engagement
Industry: Small Business Support + Community Development + Digital Engagement
