Toronto 
The city of Toronto has launched ShopHERE, a program to help Toronto independent businesses and artists open a free online store to minimize the economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
ShopHERE will provide Toronto independent businesses and artists the opportunity to develop an online store, which will be built and launched for free in just a matter of days.
Hands-on support will be provided throughout the entire process from volunteer website developers and marketing and business students. ShopHERE is supported by the community and corporate partners, including Toronto Association of Business Improvement Areas, Shopify, Google, Mastercard, Microsoft, Facebook, eBay, Ritual, Trufan, eShipper, Snapchat, Magnet and Schulich School of Business.
Mayor John Tory said, ” We are committed to doing everything we can to help our mainstreet small businesses get through this crisis. The ShopHERE program would not be possible without the generous community and corporate support of our partners. Today, I am issuing a challenge for more Toronto technology companies to get involved – as they have done countless times during this pandemic – and volunteer to build online stores for Toronto’s independent businesses and artists to help them survive and recover.”
The City says an estimated 49,501 Toronto business, 7,371 of them restaurants, bars or cafes, are eligible for the ShopHERE program.
HOW ShopHERE WORKS
The program will provide Toronto’s independent businesses and artists with:
- A template to develop an online store on Shopify, customized with their information, branding, logo, etc.
- Hands-on assistance setting up and launching their online store
- Training and support for digital marketing, shipping and operating an online store
- Access to free tools and online advertising credits to support the launch of their online store.
HOW TO APPLY FOR ShopHERE
The initial program is available through the end of August which will be delivered via the Digital Main Street platform.
