Like many Canadians, you are probably making deliberate shopping choices to support Canadian companies and products. Making the right choices can seem confusing and difficult – so we’ve compiled a helpful list of tips and resources to help you.
There has never been a better time to shop local! From coast to coast to coast, small businesses are the heart of our communities and your support is what helps them thrive.
Did you know? Small- and medium-sized businesses account for 99% of all Canadian businesses and employ 64% of Canada’s private sector workforce. Local businesses are the backbone of this country and we’re offering you tips on how you can support them.
The guide was recently updated on March 5, 2025, after U.S. tariffs on Canadian imports and Canada’s counter tariffs on American goods were implemented.
The federal government said that with “every hard-earned dollar” you spend at a local business or on a Canadian product, you help strengthen the economy and make Canada “more resilient.” 💲
(please see the Shop local, support Canadian communities guide for more complete info)
Here are Buy Local directories for different regions across Canada to help you shop locally at Canadian businesses:
These directories showcase local products, businesses, services, brands and more. If you are having difficulty finding local retailers near you, the federal government recommends buying from elsewhere in Canada instead of abroad.
Don’t forget to show support to our cultural industries and our many talented Canadian artists, writers, musicians, and performing artists.
Why not spend your entertainment budget supporting artists and performers who have chosen to work and stay in Canada, by going to a museum or gallery, or catching a local concert or play.
An important part of making informed decisions on spending your money is deciphering product labels to understand which products are Canadian. It can be confusing, you have probably seen many fellow shoppers holding up and examining products in the grocery aisle and squinting to read and understand the fine print on the label.
Here are some key tips from the CFA guide:
It can also be used to highlight where an ingredient came from as part of a “Made in Canada” claim, or other claims. For example, “Contains 100% Canadian wheat” means all of the wheat and all the products derived from wheat (like wheat bran) used in that food are Canadian.
The maple leaf can be included but is not required.
In Canada, these imported food products are required to include the country of origin on their labels: dairy products, eggs, fish, fresh fruits and vegetables, maple and honey products, meat, wine, brandy, and some processed fruits and vegetables
Companies can also make voluntary claims to highlight where an ingredient or product came from (for example, cookies with the claim “made with Belgian chocolate”).
Pro-tip: word order means something. Just like how ingredients are listed in order by amount from most to least ingredients, the order of words on other parts of the label also make a difference.
So a product that states:
Made with Domestic and Imported Ingredients has more Canadian than Imported Ingredients, while a product labelled as
Made with Imported and Domestic Ingredients has less Canadian than imported ingredients.
⚠️There is no official logo for Canadian food products. A maple leaf on the label can be used to help you identify products that have a Canadian contribution or that are from a Canadian business, but the maple leaf is not required.
A maple leaf on a product does not always mean the product is Canadian. For instance, there are logos and trademarks with the maple leaf that mean the product meets a Canadian standard for safety, quality or organic content. These can be applied to Canadian or imported products. Some examples are the inspection legend, the Canada Organic logo or Canadian grade stamps.
Look for “Product of Canada,” the qualified “Made in Canada” statement or other Canadian content claims to identify products that were grown, raised and/or made in Canada.
By choosing to shop Canadian, you are helping Canadian businesses thrive during this period of uncertainty – and most importantly supporting Canadian workers. When we make informed decisions about which products we buy, and which companies we support – every dollar we spend can make a difference.
– Elbows up, Canada.
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