Why Small Business Matters: Celebrating the Heart and Soul of Our Communities
By Wade Cleveland
Last week’s Yarmouth Chamber of Commerce Business Awards was a wonderful reminder of the incredible business community we have here in Western Nova Scotia. The Western REN was proud to sponsor the 2025 People’s Choice Award. It’s an award that gives you, our community, a voice in recognizing the businesses that inspire you most.
We are fortunate to live in a community that values and supports its business community. The event regularly sells out over 300 hundred spots. When it’s nomination time the nominations come in hot and heavy. Over a thousand people voted for their favourite business for our inagural Peoples’s Choice Award, and you could only vote once.
The Winners of 2025 Business Awards. Find the full list HERE.
As we wrap up Small Business Week, it’s a perfect time time to reflect on the vital role small businesses play in making our communities vibrant, resilient, and full of opportunity.
Small Businesses: The Heart of Our Communities
Small businesses are so much more than storefronts or service providers, they are the soul of our local economy. They are owned by our friends, our neighbours, and our family. Small Businesses are the ones stepping up to sponsor your kids’ sports teams; they are the ones contributing to local fundraisers.
According to the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB), for every dollar you spend at your favourite local business, 66¢ stays right here in your community. Compare that to just 11¢ when you shop with a large multinational chain — and the impact becomes crystal clear. That’s not just economics — that’s community investment.
When small businesses thrive, our communities thrive.
The Power of Small Business in Our Region
Across Western Nova Scotia, small businesses are at the core of innovation, job creation, and community life. From family-owned restaurants and retail shops to skilled trades and professional services, these entrepreneurs bring creativity, dedication, and a personal touch to everything they do.
They adapt, they evolve, and they continuously find ways to make life better for the people around them. Their success stories — big and small — shape the local economy and help attract new residents, workers, and opportunities to our region.
Celebrating and Supporting Local
Small Business Week is more than a celebration — it’s a call to action. It’s a reminder to:
- Shop locally whenever you can.
- Share positive reviews of businesses you love.
- Recommend local services to friends and family.
- And most importantly, recognize the people behind those businesses for the impact they make every day.
By supporting small business, you’re helping to build a stronger, more connected community. One that grows from within.
At the Western REN
At the Western Regional Enterprise Network (Western REN), we’re proud to work alongside the local entrepreneurs and business leaders who drive our region forward. From programs that connect employers with skilled workers to initiatives that foster business transition and innovation, our focus is on helping small businesses grow and succeed right here at home.
So as we come to the end Small Business Week take a moment to thank a local business owner, stop in at that neighbourhood café, or cast your vote of confidence in the people who make our communities what they are — resilient, welcoming, and full of heart.
Because when we support small business, we’re investing in us.