It's Small Business Week across Canada, and the Portage Chamber of Commerce is celebrating the role of local businesses in our community.

Chamber executive director Cindy McDonald says almost 99 per cent of their members are small businesses. She says they are the backbone of our community.

"They're community builders. They support our local sports teams, they give donations to charities and they donate to non-profits," McDonald says. "There is just so much value to small businesses in Canada, and in Portage, as a whole."

Small businesses also help make each community unique, McDonald says, as they offer niche markets and offer products and services that larger businesses don't often provide.

"Support your local small businesses, support them as much you possibly can," she says. "They are very unique to each community ... the best way to say thank you is to support them."

"Walk in their doors, and even if you don't buy something, let them know you appreciate them," McDonald continues. "The customer service of our local businesses is second to none. You can't get that at big box stores. That's why we say support our small businesses, and they support the community in return."

McDonald adds local businesses are the reason the Chamber was started 130 years ago in Portage.

"They got together and said we need to have one big voice," McDonald says. "They are one of our biggest supporters and we try to support them as much as we can as well."