We Choose Local was created to make shopping local easy.

In Guelph, we haven’t yet achieved the sales volume needed to sustainably support local retailers, delivery, and platform growth. Continuing without that volume would not be responsible to the businesses or the community we care about.

So we are pressing pause on local ordering in Guelph.

This decision was not made lightly. It was made intentionally.

Why We’re Pausing

Local businesses need consistent, meaningful sales to thrive. Right now, We Choose Local has not generated enough ordering volume in Guelph to do that well.

Rather than pushing forward with a model that needs rethinking, we are choosing to stop, reflect, and learn.

This pause allows us to:

• Protect trust with our retailers and customers
• Be honest about what is and isn’t working
• Focus on solving the challenge behind local shopping

The Challenge We’re Committed to Solving

Shopping local is not hard because people don’t care.

It’s hard because local shopping is often:

• Hard to find
• Hard to compare
• Hard to fit into busy lives

We still believe deeply in this truth:

Without strong local businesses, communities do not thrive.

That belief has not changed.

What This Pause Means

• The WeChooseLocal.ca website will remain live
• Local ordering and delivery in Guelph will be paused
• We will use this time to listen, learn, and explore new paths forward

This is not an ending.
It’s a deliberate reset.

What We’re Doing Next

During this pause, we are actively:

• Listening to feedback from local retailers
• Speaking with community partners
• Learning from customers about what would make local shopping easier
• Brainstorming and testing potential pivot ideas

We want to build something that works in the real world, not just in theory.

Thank You

To the local businesses who trusted us.
To the customers who chose to shop local through us.
To the community that believes local matters.

Thank you.

We remain committed to the mission of making shopping local easier, more accessible, and more impactful. This pause gives us the space to do that work properly.

We’ll share what we learn — and what comes next — as it takes shape.

We Choose Local