Council approves $5,000 ad campaign

By Rick Vanderlinde Simcoe.com Jan 06, 2011
INNISFIL – Innisfil Beach Road businesses will get a boost from the town through a $5,000 newspaper advertising campaign.
Council decided to help Alcona businesses entice shoppers back to the IBR district, which has been hampered by construction delays and detours.
“We all know recruiting businesses to come here is a tough job,” Coun. Lynn Dollin said. “It’s probably better to retain the ones we already have.”
Council put a $5,000 cap on the campaign, which will buy local newspaper ads for IBR businesses that hope to lure customers with discount coupons.
The campaign is expected to run over several weeks.
Coun. Ken Simpson called the move “a positive step”, saying the campaign may help the businesses get over the post-Christmas slump.
“There was unprecedented construction there. This is money well spent,” Simpson said. “As summer returns the businesses will be able to flourish again.”
The ad plan started when Dale Lagace, of Alcona’s Proper Price Pet Supply, approached town representatives to discuss the impact of the IBR urbanization project.
Bradford West Gwillimbury took a similar approach by purchasing newspaper ads to support businesses along Dissette Street, which is the midst of a massive construction project.
“That construction makes IBR look like a walk in the park,” said Dollin, who supports the ad campaign along with the rest of council.
The money will be taken out of the town’s economic development fund.
CAO John Skorobohacz cautioned council that the campaign may not stop some merchants from taking legal action to recover lost business due to the construction.
“This does not preclude any business from putting forth a lawsuit,” Skorobohacz said. “That does occur with many municipalities with construction projects that are delayed.”
For instance, an auto shop is taking the City of Barrie to court for lost business due to prolonged construction on Bradford Street.
Skorobohacz added a town-paid advertising campaign to help IBR businesses is in the “public interest”.