CFIB's #SmallBusinessEveryDay Big Thank You Contest encourages Canadians to keep tourism dollars local
TORONTO, June 23, 2026 /CNW/ - A majority (84%) of small businesses are concerned that higher fuel costs could negatively affect the summer tourism season, according to new data from the Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB).
"Fuel costs have been squeezing small businesses from all sides: at the pump, across their supply chains and in their customers' wallets. The last thing any of them need is a quiet summer," said Ryan Mallough, CFIB's vice-president of legislative affairs. "That's exactly why we're encouraging Canadians to get out and explore their communities this summer. Fuel prices may put a dampener on bigger travel plans, but local tourism is a great opportunity for small businesses and their communities."
To help support local businesses and encourage local shopping this summer, CFIB is bringing back its #SmallBusinessEveryDay Big Thank You Contest from June 29 to July 13. The contest invites Canadians to thank their favourite small businesses for the role they play in their communities. The Big Thank You Contest is presented by CFIB in partnership with Chase Payment Solutions, with Interac Corp. (Interac) as prize sponsor. Small business supporters can enter two weekly draws by visiting SmallBusinessEveryDay.ca and leaving a thank you message to their favourite small Canadian business.
Each week, one supporter and the business they thanked will be drawn as winners. The supporter will receive a $1,500 cash prize to spend locally. The business will receive $4,000 and a free one-year CFIB membership. A $4,000 bonus prize will go to the business with the most nominations at the end of the contest, courtesy of Interac.
"Sixty-six cents of every dollar spent local, stays local," Mallough said. "If you have a favourite spot, now is a great time to show them some love and say thank you for all they do; it's not just the business that benefits, it's the whole community."
To help businesses participate, CFIB has created free digital toolkits, including printable posters and customizable social images, to promote the contest and shopping local.
For more information on how to support small businesses or to enter the contest, visit SmallBusinessEveryDay.ca.
Methodology
CFIB Business Outlook Survey based on 973 responses received between May 5 and June 8, 2026. Responses of "Not applicable" (26% of all responses) were excluded from the analysis, and percentages were recalculated based on the remaining valid responses.
About #SmallBusinessEveryDay Big Thank You Contest
The #SmallBusinessEveryDay Big Thank You Contest, created by CFIB, encourages support for independent businesses by inviting Canadians to send thank you messages to their favourite small businesses. Every week from June 29 to July 13 an entrant wins $1,500 cash. The winning businesses will receive a $4,000 cash prize and a one-year CFIB membership. For more information about the contest and to enter, visit SmallBusinessEveryDay.ca. Contest rules can be found at cfib.ca/sbedrules.
About Interac Corp.
Interac empowers Canadians to transact digitally with confidence by providing payment and value exchange services. In helping to develop the future of money movement in Canada, security is at the core of everything we do. We help keep Canadian customers safe and secure when transacting. With nearly 300 financial institutions connected to our network, Canadians choose Interac products over 20 million times a day on average to exchange money. Interac champions workplace culture, community, and corporate citizenship. We are proud to be one of Canada's leading and most trusted financial brands. Learn more at interac.ca.
About Chase Payment Solutions
Chase Payment Solutions, a subsidiary of JPMorgan Chase & Co. with headquarters in Toronto, Ontario is a leader in payment processing for businesses of all sizes. More than 110,000 Canadian business locations trust Chase with their payments. Choosing Chase Payment Solutions means partnering with a global payments leader that processes more than $2 trillion worldwide in annual debit and credit card volume. Chase Payment Solutions has operated in Canada for more than 20 years, with 200 employees across the country. More information can be found at chase.ca.
About CFIB
The Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB) is Canada's largest association of small and medium-sized businesses with 103,000 members across every industry and region. CFIB is dedicated to increasing business owners' chances of success by driving policy change at all levels of government, providing expert advice and tools, and negotiating exclusive savings. Learn more at cfib.ca.
SOURCE Canadian Federation of Independent Business (Toronto)
For media enquiries or interviews, please contact: Dariya Baiguzhiyeva, CFIB, 647-464-2814, [email protected]
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