News: American Express is looking for Toronto’s Neighbourhood Gem

As part of its Shop Small campaign, American Express Canada is asking you to vote for your local favourite small business. Visit their Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AmericanExpressCanada and click the Neighbourhood Gems icon to vote before April 21.

The top four small businesses will win a social marketing session with Facebook and the winner receives a one page advertorial in Toronto Life magazine. Voters are entered into a daily draw for a $50 AMEX gift card. You can tweet your comments to #shopsmall.

According to Industry Canada, small businesses make up 25 percent of Ontario’s GDP. A tangible way of supporting this important sector is to patronize your local independent retailers. Strong independent retailers make for healthy neighbourhoods, and ultimately a vibrant and diverse city.

Obviously American Express’ motives aren’t purely altruistic, and by promoting these small businesses they are also promoting the idea that you can use your AMEX card at a greater range of retail partners. But by shining a light on small businesses, AMEX is helping to focus on an important and sometimes overlooked part of the local economy.

[Photo via www.facebook.com/AmericanExpressCanada]