Sault Ste. Marie Encourages Shopping Local with Chamber Bucks

Sault Ste. Marie is getting creative to try and get people to buy local, just in time for the holidays.

The city has been using something called "Chamber Bucks" for years.

The Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce will exchange money for chamber bucks.

They can then be used at more than 40 different downtown businesses, just like cash.

Participants say its a way to assure that the money spent stays in the city.

"It’s a great thing for the community. It keeps money locally in the community and it helps small business. It gets people to realize what their local community has to offer and that money does stay locally," says Tony Stackpoole, owner of Cup of the Day.

The city says they see a big uptick in Chamber Bucks during the holidays. To grab your own, they’re available at the Sault Ste. Marie Chamber of Commerce.