Elbows up, Canada!

Welcome to spring! Not only in this issue but hopefully in our weather, too.

It would be easy to get very discouraged this spring, with everything going on in the world and more specifically, with our neighbours to the south of us. North Simcoe life is not a political magazine, but we are all about community, working together, supporting each other and we are definitely about democracy.

The US is quite simply not the neighbour we knew, and we Canadians need to see that, accept it, and forge some new friendships and alliances, while watching our backs. We are glad to see the Premiers and our new Prime Minister meeting and talking about what that looks like and expediting the process.

Luckily, we live in a wonderful area where it is so easy to support local. Look through the pages of this magazine and see the plethora of local businesses, communities, volunteers, and events there are to support, and then please, get out there and do just that. And make sure to tell them where you learned about them: right here in North Simcoe life, a 100% Canadian, local magazine!

Get your culture on by going to Anne of Green Gables at St. Paul’s Centre, or A Streetcar Named Desire at the Orillia Opera House. Both these productions are 100% volunteers…think about that while you enjoy the stellar quality of them both!

Or enjoy incredible music at the homegrown Roots North Music Festival, which is 100% volunteer run by people in our community, and, aside from the headliners, features a weekend full of local talent, free for the listening, at over 20 of our local venues, where you can also enjoy local food and drink, prepared and served by members of our community.

Buy local by supporting our local advertisers such as Grandpa’s Horse Stable for collectibles and vintage items, Signature Memorial for memorial items, Sunshine Kitchens for new kitchen cabinets and more, or The Water Market for complete water systems.

Thinking of moving? Go to a local community member, volunteer, and supporter, Marci Csumrik, and feel good about your choice. Buy a book from Marie-Dore Studios and support a local author. Reach out to Rockwater Wealth about how to keep your investments in Canada.

Go to the Leacock Museum, or the Orillia Opera House and revel in local culture and iconic local heritage sites. Better still, buy tickets for The Lightfoot Band show at the Opera House in May, and feel more Canadian than you ever have!

Buy tickets for the CANADIAN Federation of University Women-Orillia Home Tour and support local women giving scholarships to local female high school grads. Hike for Hospice, and support programs for the bereaved right here in our community.

Check out the Oro-Medonte Township and Orillia Lake Country pages to see other great ways to enjoy our area to the fullest, and support local.

My point? It’s time now, more than ever, to support local, shop local, stay local. Elbows up, Canada!