Recently we’ve had the opportunity to build two new website projects for municipalities who were looking for a way to help their local businesses survive the COVID-19 pandemic. At their core, these websites are online directories of businesses who are still offering products and services during the pandemic. They provide concise yet comprehensive lists of operating businesses and easy ways for consumers to reach out to them.

Shop From Home Aurora is a partnership between the Town of Aurora and the Aurora Chamber of Commerce. Launched just two weeks after lockdowns and quarantines began in Ontario, the businesses listed on Shop From Home Aurora have seen great success in maintaining a steady flow of customers during this difficult time. Divided into four categories, this simple directory makes it easy for people to find any kind of business to meet their needs.

After hearing about the success of Shop From Home Aurora, the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville wanted to support their local businesses in the same way, and L4A.ca was born. L4A.ca, named for the postal code in Whitchurch-Stouffville, is a more complex directory site with a search function, individual profile pages for each business, and a shopping section where businesses can list their products for sale. In the first three weeks L4A.ca has been live, the site has generated nearly 20,000 page views from over 4,500 visitors.

We’re looking for other municipalities and regions that are in need of this type of service for the residents they service. If this sounds like you or someone you know, drop us a line. Our municipal directory websites can be deployed very quickly, to help connect local businesses and their customers.