Ways to support a local business in Toronto can be creative and splashy or small and humble. You don't have to spend a lot, or even much at all to support small businesses in the city, and right now they can use as much love as they can get. 

Here are ways to support local business in Toronto.

Shop local grocery in your neighbourhood

Restaurants and cafes including lots of Italian restaurants have responded to the needs of their customers by incorporating a grocery section into their business. If you only need a few essentials, it can be convenient and supportive to grab them from one of these spots.

Buy a Bag of Toronto filled with goods from local businesses

This initiative does contactless delivery of custom-built bags filled with five to seven specialty food and gift products from five different neighbourhoods every week. Check out all the bags, or specific ones representing areas like Bloorcourt, Ossington or Queen West.

Support businesses that support other local businesses

If you show a receipt from another local business at Your Neighbourhood Barbershop, they'll knock five bucks off the price of your cut. Other businesses like Ding-a-Wing are also offering a percentage off your purchase when you show a receipt from a neighbouring business, so do a little research and you might just save.

Many local farmers now have online stores. Photo by Fareen Karim.

Support local farmers by buying online

Some farmers' markets have continued to operate in person, but for those who aren't comfortable heading out to shop, many have created online stores. Getting your hands on local produce has never been easier.

Show your love for local restaurants on a t-shirt

Warning for food lovers: checking out online restaurant merch shop Shop Off Menu may cause you to want to buy absolutely everything. Shirts with slick designs represent your support for local restaurants, and the profits go straight to the businesses.

Get the subscription box that's all about supporting local

If you want to keep the love going and automatically support small businesses on the regular, sign up for the Box of 6ix subscription box that sends a package of goodies representing a different Toronto neighbourhood every month.

Support Black-owned businesses in Toronto using #supportblacktoronto. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

Use hashtags when sharing favourite stores in your social networks

Hashtags are a useful tool on social media that can be used to link similar information. When you use a hashtag like #SupportTorontoFashion, #supportblacktoronto, #supporttorontodesigners, #supporttoronto or #shoplocaltoronto, you're helping to spread awareness of local businesses to people who are searching for places to support using those tags.

Buy from more than 80 local vendors in one place

Toronto Market Co. is your online destination for one of the widest virtual selections of edible products this city has to offer from artisan makers. Local pastas, sauces, baked goods, juices, meats and more abound.

Beer from Big Rock Brewery. Photo by Hector Vasquez.

Order a local holiday box

Big Rock Brewery has teamed up with local businesses in Liberty Village to put together a box for the holidays featuring Big Rock Winter Spice Ale, Big Rock festive glassware, biscotti from Brodflour and chocolate bark from COCO XO. It's going on sale at the start of December and is available for pickup or home delivery. 

Follow your local BIA on social media

Wherever you live in Toronto, you probably have a local BIA. Maybe you don't even know it yet. Search the name of your neighbourhood on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook and see if they have pages you can follow to stay up to date on what's happening in your neighbourhood and find out about great businesses to support.