Prince George leads the province in online business
Many businesses in B.C. have survived the pandemic by upping their online traffic. New data from Square, a financial services and digital payment systems company, reveals that smaller communities are leading the way.
Businesses in Prince George saw online growth of 67 per cent, the highest in B.C. and exceeding the national average of 56 per cent. Square says 56 per cent of businesses in the province are now selling online. While Prince George has the largest uptake, Square says businesses in Squamish are moving ahead at the fastest rate for increasing online sales in the province.
The top 5 BC cities selling online the most as of the end of August 2021:
- Prince George 67%
- Squamish 62%
- Kelowna 61%
- Abbotsford 60%
- Vancouver 60%
There are several reasons why the smaller communities lead the way. According to Square, a younger demographic is more likely to purchase online and communities in some areas have had to work hard to find new customers.
Large cities like Vancouver had more foot traffic during the pandemic than some smaller communities and those along that border which had most of their customers cut off.
"There's more density, right? So you have a lot of customers that are going to come and go to your business no matter what. Whereas, if you're in one of these smaller locations that's more geographically remote, it benefits you to have a little bit of a farther reach and have a little bit of a farther impact on your customer base," explained Felipe Chacon, an economist with Square.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.
Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
Blind Sask. boy heading to international braille competition hopes to increase accessibility for visually impaired
A Saskatchewan boy who qualified for an international braille competition in Los Angeles next month hopes he can inspire change in his home province.
'A step forward': New screening criteria for sperm donors takes effect
Canadians looking to grow their families with the assistance of sperm or egg donations should soon have more options for donors as the federal health agency does away with longstanding restrictions criticized as discriminatory.
What is whooping cough and should Canadians be concerned as Europe declares outbreak?
There is currently a whooping cough epidemic in Europe, with 10 times as many cases compared to the previous two years. While an outbreak has not been declared nationwide in Canada, whooping cough is regularly detected in the country.