Toronto 
There are always positive reasons for supporting local in Canada. Now, possibly more than ever, buying local is hot on everyone’s minds. Luckily, there are a few simple ways to support products and services created here in Canada. This comes to almost anything like food and meals at restaurants, clothing, furniture, home décor, or self-care products.
Credit: Nathaniel Bowman/Unsplash
Shopping with a Canadian-made-mindset may take a bit of extra research, time, or browsing, to find the right businesses. This quick guide is here to help get you started.
Careful Shopping & Label Checking
Whether you’re after a product or a service, do a quick background check to see if it is Canadian-owned or Canadian-made. This could involve:
- Looking at labels for where a product was manufactured while understanding the differences between “Made in Canada,” and “Product of Canada”
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- A food product can claim “Product of Canada” if nearly all ingredients, processing, and labour are Canadian. Small amounts (under 2%) of non-Canadian ingredients like spices or vitamins are allowed. Packaging sources don’t affect eligibility.
- A “Made in Canada” claim is allowed if the product’s last substantial transformation occurs in Canada ( 51%), even if it contains imported ingredients.
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- A look at the company website or social media
- Using websites like Made in CA, or the Made in Canada Directory to find Canadian products ahead of shopping.
Farmer’s Markets
Almost every major Canadian city operates one, a couple, or many, indoor and year-round farmers’ markets. While those cities cover many vendors, that doesn’t even include the year-round farmers’ markets open in small towns or rural parts of Canada. Shopping with local farmers’ markets enables the farm-to-table experience with fruits, vegetables, and meats, while also offering local takeout, artisan goods, and so much more.
Find one near you:
- BC Farmers’ Markets
- Alberta
- Saskatchewan
- Manitoba
- Ontario
- Quebec
- Yukon
- Northwest Territories
- Prince Edward Island
- New Brunswick
- Newfoundland & Labrador
- Nova Scotia
Boutiques, Pop-Ups, & Fairs
So many Canadian cities and towns, big and small, have main streets and shopping districts lined with boutique shops that contain an array of local goods. These range from clothing and accessories to home décor and furniture, to bath and beauty products, to gift shops and food stores.
Those boutique shops, as well as smaller brands without brick-and-mortar shops, will often host pop-up shops within established stores or markets. Find your favourite brands and follow websites or social media to find out the latest on when those companies might host or be part of pop-up shops.
Local craft fairs work the same as local farmers’ markets in that shoppers will get access to a huge variety of vendors all under one roof. And like pop-up shops, craft fairs and craft markets across Canada often feature smaller but established businesses who do not have a storefront. Plus, websites like Etsy make it easy to find handmade goods in your area with location filters.
Local Travel
Canadians are lucky! We can travel with ease interprovincially and use our Canadian dollar across wildly different landscapes, and to see so many different parts of the country. Whether for a staycation, a day trip to somewhere nearby, a weekend getaway, or a full week’s vacation, there are so many ways to support local and shop Canadian while you visit around Canada.
- The local accommodation options are often some of the coolest or most unique options. Look for locally owned and operated hotels, inns, bed and breakfasts, or campgrounds.
- Travel is always a perfect opportunity to explore different culinary experiences or dining options. This means locally owned cafes, breweries and distilleries, family restaurants, bakeries, caterers, or anything which you are craving.
- While many Canadian cities and urban centers are home to some incredible big-ticket attractions, there are many, many, smaller and locally owned tourism destinations. These could be places which explore local history, arts, culture, sports and recreation, or anything unique to the region.
Look for “Locally Sourced” while Dining
Supporting any local restaurant, pub, or café, is a great way to put dollars back into the local economy.
This support for local business can be taken one step further by dining with establishments focused on sourcing as many ingredients or products as possible from fellow local businesses. There are also many farm-to-table culinary experiences to explore, local bakers, candy or chocolate makers, coffee roasters, brewers, distillers, wine makers, and tons of other great or unique products made here up North.
I think we should be trading with different provinces without taxes. We could support each other economically. We are ONE as Canadians!
It would be wonderful if a Canadian Company made a good quality cup shown in the photo. In the current climate, they would sell very well and perhaps a portion of the profits could be channeled to local food banks.
A disposable version could be made and used by all Canadian businesses in the hospitality industry. Far more positive than booing the US national anthem at a sports game.