Interac Corp. was proud to partner with Metro Grocery to launch the Metro Retro Drive-In series. We visited more than 20 communities across Ontario, bringing together more than 6,000 Canadians for free movie nights.
From the outset of the program, we were determined to find unique ways to give back to our communities and the small businesses within them, many of which have faced the brunt of the pandemic. With that in mind, we built the InLife Marketplace where small businesses showcased and sold their products and services. To push our support even further, Interac donated $5 from every contactless Interac Debit transaction to Canada United, an organization that helps small businesses from across the nation offset the cost of reopening safely or adopting new digital technologies.
The Canada United Small Business Relief Fund started as an idea within the Royal Bank of Canada to help local small businesses begin the recovery process from the pandemic. The relief grants provide up to $5,000 to small businesses and can be used for specific COVID-19 recovery efforts: purchasing PPE, renovating physical spaces or developing your website or e-commerce capabilities.
We also partnered with tiptap to collect donations on-site at every event for charities in the communities we visited.
“Our mission at tiptap is to maximize charitable contributions by offering a touchless giving™ option. Fewer Canadians are carrying cash, which has affected many organizations’ ability to secure much-needed funding. tiptap’s simple and secure solution allows individuals to tap to give™. We were thrilled that offering a cashless option helped Metro Retro Drive-in, presented by Interac Corp. and Metro Grocery, raise funds for charitable organizations across Ontario. This initiative helped small businesses in the communities affected by the pandemic and raised awareness for such an important cause.” – Mark Jordan, Community Sector Lead, tiptap.
To close out Metro Retro, we hosted a spooky movie night for employees, partners and friends featuring Hocus Pocus in early October. This was our first in-person event for employees in almost two years and allowed them to catch up with their colleagues and experience the Metro Retro program for themselves. We had a local food truck on-site, several small businesses at the InLife Marketplace, and donation stands to raise funds for United Way Greater Toronto.
Thank you to all our partners, employees, and attendees who made Metro Retro an impactful community program.
