Nova Scotia PC’s Pledge To Create Points Program For Those Who Buy Local
HALIFAX— The Nova Scotia PC Party is pledging to introduce a loyalty points program that will reward people for buying local goods, should they form government in the upcoming election. The total program would cost approximately $26 million in the first year.
The program, Called Nova Scotia Loyal, would work much like the loyalty programs used by corporations to keep customers coming back. But this program is meant to encourage Nova Scotians to buy local products made in-province.
“If you’re in the store and you’re looking at Smucker’s Jam or (a local Nova Scotia product) …it’s just a little incentive to pick that up and buy that one,” said PC leader Tim Houston to Huddle Today.
“Politicians talk about ‘buy local’, but there’s very little in the way of government policy that’s been implemented that actually encourages people to buy local.”
In the initial press release, the PC Party claimed that people would get cash back by using the loyalty program. Tim Houston clarified to Huddle Today that the government would not be offering direct cash to people for shopping local.
Rather, people would build up points based on what they buy. For local food items, shoppers would get points worth 10 per cent of their purchase. For non-food items, they will get three per cent. Houston says this program will be open to all sellers of Nova Scotia products.
Houston says, at first, people could redeem their points when paying for government services, like driver’s license renewal, or buying products from a crown corporation. The sellers and producers of local products would benefit from having increased customer loyalty.
“But ultimately we do see this expanding across the region and bringing on additional partners,” said Houston.
The PC Party has faith in the program based on studies and success stories from the business community. Houston says it’s clear, when looking at the data, that reward programs make consumers want to keep coming back.
“Shopify had a report that said having a loyalty program attached to a product…will change consumer behaviours,” said Houston.
“The loyalty programs are proven to work, and I think it’s time for government to look at things that are proven to work and implement them.”
Some may question if it’s a good idea to introduce a new program that costs $26 million per year, given the fiscal situation of the province coming out of the pandemic. The electorate will be expecting, and demanding, that the new government spend more money on the struggling health care system and other essential services.
But Houston views this program as a long-term investment into the provincial economy, which he says needs to keep growing.
“I’ve been very clear with Nova Scotians that I expect this province will run deficits for a few years because we have to invest in people, we have to invest in infrastructure. But if we make the right investments, those investments will pay off,” he said.
“We have to look beyond one year; we have to look beyond an election cycle. We can’t keep doing what we’ve been doing. The only way to make sure the province has financial sustainability, and fixes the healthcare system, and fixes mental health, and fixes senior’s care…is to transform our economy. That can’t happen overnight. These are the seeds that we’re planting today.”