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OAKVILLE BEAVER Thursday, July 30, 2009 · 2 It's what you make it SUBMITTED PHOTO PUDDLE JUMPERS HAVE FUN: Young Ross Lane resident Laya Kavasseri is joined by neighbours Amanda and Nathan Moran in making the best of the rainy summer of 2009. These young residents know just what to do as they have found a fun pasttime by jumping in the puddles on their street. Investing in the community Continued from page 1 to commute somewhere else to work. Working locally will not only create more engagement in the community, Alameddine noted, but it will give residents a better quality of life as they will not have to spend two hour a day in their car. Other benefits of frequenting local businesses include creating healthy competition among those businesses, resulting in fair prices and more choices for shoppers. Supporting local businesses is also expected to attract new businesses, a key goal the Town laid out in its new Official Plan for a `Livable Oakville.' For Mayor Rob Burton, highlighting what the town has to offer just makes sense. "The chamber and I had discussions back and fourth about how to build a little bit of a focus around the shopping opportunities in Oakville. We agreed this slogan `I Shop Oakville' sets up Oakville as an option and not some kind of requirement," said Burton. "It reflects the competitive nature of the town and I think it helps remind people that Oakville is a fun option when it comes to shopping and just going out." In an effort to maximize this fun, Alameddine is recommending residents visit www.ishopoakville.ca and register. The process is free and once plugged in, residents will start getting announcements from various Oakville businesses informing them about specials and local events. While the businesses participating in `I Shop Oakville' may be local Alameddine noted the time has not yet come when all the products in these stores are manufactured locally or in Canada for that matter. Alameddine said that while some products simply have to be purchased overseas, the bigger issue comes down to consumer demand and how stores will have to continue buying overseas products until the consumer is willing to pay a little more for the locally manufactured ones. Alameddine also cautioned residents to be wary of protectionism. "We are suffering from `Buy American' policies that are in place in some areas. We have businesses in Ontario that aren't being considered for contracts in the U.S. because of `Buy American' policies or mentalities," said Alameddine. "We can't be perpetrators of that as well. We have good trading partners and we have to realize that there are advantages to those relationships because Ontario manufactures also want to sell to places like China and the U.S. and to Inside Travel.......................................................54 Health......................................................55 Sports.......................................................56 Classified.................................................61 For home delivery & customer service call (905) 845-9742 Mon., Tues. and Thurs. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m., Wed. 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Fri. 8:30 a.m.-7 p.m. Sat 10 a.m.-3 p.m. NEW SUBSCRIPTIONS call (905) 845-9742 or subscribe online @ www.oakvillebeaver.com Full Delivery Pharma Save, Guardian Drugs City Parent, James Boyd, Price Chopper, Food Basics, Superstore, Sobeys, M&M Meat Shops, Fortinos Partial Delivery: Best Buy Canada, Petsmart, Future Shop