One of the companies shown in the Hudson Bay "Open for Business" video series. (Courtesy Broad Leaf Media)

By Doug Lett

Hudson Bay promotional campaign

Hudson Bay works on promoting itself

Jan 24, 2023 | 2:00 PM

The community of Hudson Bay wants to let people know they’ve got a lot to offer.

“It is a great community,” Hudson Bay Chamber of Commerce president Ellen Kulyk said. “We’re not just businesses, we are families, volunteers, coaches, parents, grandparents.”

That’s why the chamber of commerce has launched an “Open for Business” video series promoting the town.

“I believe a strong a strong business community means a strong community,” Kulyk said. “And we’re always looking for things to do in the community to promote Hudson Bay.”

The first video was launched last year, and the second was recently launched on social media.

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The fast paced video is just over two minutes long, and showcases a variety of local companies. But Kulyk said there is a also a sobering reality behind the videos.

The Hudson Bay “Open for Business” videos highlights a variety of local companies. (Courtesy Broad Leaf Media.)

“It’s kind of a tough time for small business,” Kulyk said. “Online shopping is always a problem and people traveling out of town to the cities. A lot of people don’t realize what we’ve got.”

The town is also sharing the video, along with various local businesses. They believe it’s important to get the word out.

“When you spend your money in town it’s staying in town, and it’s recycling in town,” Jeanine Holowatuik, community development director with the Town of Hudson Bay, said. “So it’s helping employees and their families and their organizations. And the community is built off of that.”

She added the pressures they face are not just a Hudson Bay problem.

“It’s just the future of rural communities, we really have to support local in order to succeed and to support ourselves,” she said.

Both of them said the impact of the videos is hard to measure, although feedback has been positive.

“The target audience would be members of the community, but also people looking to either visit or move to Hudson Bay, or do business in Hudson Bay,” Holowatuik said.

Hudson Bay is in the province’s northeast, and has a population a little over 1400 people. The nearest large centre is Yorkton, about 180 kilometers away.

The videos were shot last summer, and Kulyk said they are interested in doing more, although that remains up in the air.

But she said at least locally, people seem pleased by the effort.

“At the trade fair, they played it over and over and it…people said what a great idea to promote the local business, local businesses,” Kulyk said.

The town’s main industries include forestry (there is a Weyerhauser OSB mill), agriculture, and tourism. And regardless of whether the videos help bring in more business, it’s already had one effect.

“I think the increase in community pride and just the Hudson Bay proud campaign in general, has hopefully opened people’s minds,” Holowatuik said.

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doug.lett@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @DougLettSK