Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada and his taunts about the country becoming part of the U.S. have created a reaction from Canadians across the country.
The Buy Canadian movement has brought businesses and consumers together countrywide, with four-in-five Canadians showing their support, according to the Angus Reid Institute.
Dante Johnson, owner of the convenience store Snack Stop in Ajax, used to import products from the U.S., but his suppliers have tripled the price after Trump introduced the tariffs. Johnson has now switched his U.S. products to Canadian goods.
“With the (Buy Canadian) movement being so big, I’m getting more business so I can cover the little extra I pay to get the products,” he said.
What is the Buy Canadian movement?
Buy Canadian was started in 2018 by teenager Tyler Campbell, along with his father and uncle, after Trump threatened tariffs during his first presidency. Buy Canadian encourages the support of Canadian businesses and has gained traction and popularity after Donald Trump’s 2025 tariffs.
Millions have shown support for the movement, including Justin Trudeau, the former Canadian Prime Minister, who has publicly endorsed it.
The movement is helpful for both business owners and students, such as Seneca Polytechnic journalism student Vito Worton.
“I think supporting the Buy Canadian movement is important. It helps local businesses that don’t always get enough attention, and also saves me money as a student. After learning about the major tariffs impacting Canada, I started making an effort to choose Canadian-made products and brands,” he said.
Lily Thompson, a business professor at Seneca College, said buying Canadian affects her shopping habits.
“Buy Canadian makes people think more about what they’re going to buy in stores, it makes you question, ‘Do you want to spend more on American products? Or support local businesses?” she said.
How to shop Canadian
Stores across Canada have put up signs highlighting Canadian products.
The madeincanada.ca website has a complete list of Canadian products, including dairy, fruits, frozen food, snacks and spices. The list is available online and can be downloaded.
Some well-known Canadian brands include George Weston Limited, Kraft Heinz Canada, Jos Louis, Chapman’s Ice Cream, No Name and Stonemill Bakehouse. Stores like FreshCo, Sobeys and Loblaws are already putting up signs, with hundreds of Canadian brands available countrywide.
According to a research study conducted by KPMG, 93 per cent of Canadians support the presence of these signs in stores. Retailers have responded to this public sentiment by increasingly incorporating such signage, reflecting the strong impact on Canadians who support the movement.
The Buy Canadian Movement aims to help Canadians support local businesses while reducing reliance on imported goods. Even if political circumstances change, supporters like Worton say their commitment to buying Canadian will remain.
“The movement helps so many local businesses,” he said. “Even if Trump decides to stop the tariffs and everything returns to how it was before, I’m most likely still going to support it still.”