TIMMINS - In the wake of a crime spree in downtown Timmins and with one week to go before Christmas, there's a public push reminding people to shop local.
It's a decision that helps businesses and can positively impact the neighbourhood.
“People seem to forget about the local businesses,” said Sonya Biemann, owner of Lemongrass on Third Avenue. “It helps us continue to give back to the community with fundraising, supporting hockey teams. Amazon doesn’t do that and neither does Temu.”
Late last week, there were multiple break-ins in the downtown core, a shooting that left bullet holes in a business's front window and an assault at the Timmins Transit station.
SEE: One person injured in downtown Timmins shooting
RELATED: 'This needs to stop': Timmins businesses cleaning up after rash of break-ins
Timmins Police Staff Sgt. Tim Chalmers said the incidents were not connected.
“We’re still working on all of them and trying to piece them all together,” he said. “There’s nothing connected in those investigations whatsoever.”
Two suspects have been charged in connection with a couple of the break-ins, but investigations continue in several break-ins.
‘’We ask that if anyone sees anything downtown and they see anything suspicious to call Timmins Police service,” he said.
Biemann said that increased traffic in the downtown core can decrease some behaviours people don’t want to see.
“The more people that shop downtown and come downtown the less criminal activity is around because there’s more people around,” she said. “The more people downtown the better it is for everybody.”
Timmins Downtown BIA executive director Cory Robin had a similar message on Dec. 13.
“Come downtown, spend some money at Christmas, support our downtown shops,” said Robin. “The more people that are here, the less craziness you’ll see.”
Shopping local also helps out local residents whose livelihoods depend on shoppers coming into their stores.
“I see a lot of plywood, I see a lot of buildings, doors and windows boarded up and that’s not the downtown that I want to see,” said Coun. Bill Gvozdanovic, who has been encouraging people to shop local online and even stopped downtown to make purchases himself on Monday.
“If you make the downtown look good and it’s safe, you’re going to get more people walking around, just admiring what it looks like.”
He added that the businesses downtown have had a tough time over the years and supporting them is part of the holiday season.
“We have to support these people somehow,” he added. “In light of what’s been going on, let's see if we can give the businesses a good push before Christmas. It just seems like the right thing to do.”
Biemann agrees and hopes people remember where the season's magic comes from.
“With the support of the community, things certainly do help,” she said. “There’s something for everyone downtown.”