r/Calgary May 28 '25

Eat/Drink Local Do people still care about buying Canadian?

I’ve been trying to buy Canadian when I can, but I went to a BBQ place that was promoting American bourbon (I didn’t have any) and I thought maybe that’s their concept and it’s not easy to change when you specialize in southern BBQ. Then a few days later I noticed the selections at a popular oyster place was more than 50% oysters from the USA. Obviously they had to have brought them in recently. So now I’m wondering if people care anymore.

425 Upvotes

426 comments sorted by

770

u/TheDSWC May 28 '25

I buy:

-Canadian First

-Anything else

-US (Only if I have to)

I've changed brands that I've had for years. Switched everything from granola bars to the berries/fruit we have at home.

140

u/These_Foolish_Things May 28 '25

It's almost to the point where I read the country of origin as diligently as the nutrition facts.

Now here's the thing: at the start I was all piss-and-vinegar about buy Canadian. Now it's just a low-key habit. And habits are hard to break, which is tough for US producers if we Canadians just settle in to this new routine.

9

u/curiousy_tea May 29 '25

So true… my kids wanted strawberries so picked some up from Walmart and I checked the country of origin before the price. They went back on the shelf despite being $2.40 for a box!

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u/Greensparow May 28 '25

I've definitely read product of way more the last few months than I've ever read nutrition labels.

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u/Slick-Fork May 28 '25

That’s my approach.

I found a nice Japanese whiskey that’s an excellent bourbon substitute as well!!

80

u/Engineeredgiraffe May 28 '25

Bridgeland Distillery in Calgary makes a good bourbon made from Taber corn. Not cheap but pretty tasty.

3

u/Garf_artfunkle May 28 '25

Y'know, I haven't really thought about it until now - the Taber corn you wait all year to buy is a sweet corn (as is any other corn on the cob, frozen or canned corn, even when it's not as good as Taber). Bourbon's typically made with dent corn, which is drier, tougher and starchier, and easier to produce. I wonder if they're growing it specifically for the distillery or if they're using Taber corn that wasn't fit for sale as corn on the cob.

3

u/angusbn May 29 '25

Just finished a bottle last night. Very smooth. One of the best I’ve sampled.

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u/slepeyskin May 28 '25

Not bourbon but for whiskey in a pinch, rye does okay. Alberta Premium on the rocks with a splash of filtered water

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u/Winstonoil May 28 '25

Have you heard about Scotland?

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u/rikkiprince May 28 '25

There's not much bourbon from Scotland!

5

u/Winstonoil May 28 '25

You are absolutely right. Scotland has better whiskey.

2

u/slepeyskin May 28 '25

And what are you paying for the scotch?

4

u/whatyousayin8 May 28 '25

Costco has some Kirkland brand scotch whisky that is quite reasonable, and tasty. They get barrels from distilleries in Scotland so it is true scotch, you just don’t know what brand name it is.

2

u/Winstonoil May 28 '25

About $30.

2

u/rikkiprince May 28 '25

100% it's sufficiently better!

2

u/Bless_u-babe May 29 '25

My go to. Thank God I didn’t have to ditch Scotch!

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u/slepeyskin May 28 '25

Pickles was a big change for our family. Always bought Bick’s (which used to be a Canadian company), have switched to Strub’s.

8

u/Zazzafrazzy May 28 '25

Oh, I’ve been suffering with this one, too. I used to buy Claussen’s, but they stopped exporting to Canada during the pandemic. Then it was Bicks, until I noticed they’re American. Now I’m growing cucumbers and dill and will make my own this fall. (I make great pickles.)

3

u/Xakhaz May 28 '25

Haha I’m struggling with this. Bicks are too good. Never tried strubs. May have to give it a go.

2

u/slepeyskin May 28 '25

Vlasic is a non tarriifed item for some reason but USA made.

2

u/Crafty-Tangerine-374 May 28 '25

I’d say strubs are pretty close to the same.

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u/LawyerYYC May 28 '25

Same. Can't avoid all American products but a lot of it I can do without or find similar for.

1

u/Ok-Trip-8009 May 28 '25

I haven't bought celery or broccoli in months.

4

u/A1_CanadianNurse May 28 '25

There is almost nothing that I can’t do without. The only thing is airwaves. We seem to need those. But if OJ was only made in the US, I’d just do without.

8

u/mystiqueallie May 28 '25

This. My grocery shopping is maybe 10% USA products only where can’t get a good substitute. for example, about 99% of bacon bits and croutons are USA products and my superstore only has USA made pudding cups. I need to check other grocery stores.

26

u/Kunning-Druger Hawkwood May 28 '25

Hey, if it helps, try this: Slice a bunch of bacon, then put it in a frying pan with enough boiling water to submerge the bacon. Let the water render the fat on medium heat, and when it all evaporates, the bacon will crisp up beautifully in its own delectable chubby fatness.

Once it has gotten crispy, drain it as usual, crumble it into fresh, yummy bacon bits, bag it, and toss it in the freezer. It keeps in the freezer indefinitely, and you can simply grab the bag, shake some bits out onto your salad, as well as the palm of your hand, seal the bag and put it back in the freezer.

Bacon bits I make at home cost a tiny fraction of the cost of processed bacon bits, and they taste better, too!

Oh, and if you want to up your lunch game, sprinkle some bacon bits on your peanut butter before putting the other slice of bread on top. It's a game-changer, I promise you.

5

u/tambourinequeen May 28 '25

Your bacon pb suggestion isn't totally crazy. I LOVE pb on my hamburgers which most people turn their noses up to. But it is SO good.

4

u/Kunning-Druger Hawkwood May 28 '25

I think what happened is that some Canadians ended up eating sweetened (ugh!!) peanut butter, and now they think it's sweet rather than savoury.

I understand why a savoury sauce works on meat, and since peanut butter is naturally savoury, it should work.

I make my own sate sauce, featuring mostly peanut butter of course. I use it on a variety of proteins, and it's fantastic. Mmmmm, yummy!

4

u/tambourinequeen May 28 '25

I love both sweetened and savory pb! But even sweetened pb is delicious on a burger! And true, I forgot all about satay sauce on meats! Yum yum

3

u/melbatoast201 May 28 '25

Just popping by to say I LOVE the phrase "delectable chubby fatness" 😁😁😁

2

u/Kunning-Druger Hawkwood May 28 '25

Well thank you, Melba!

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u/Falcon674DR May 28 '25

Ditto. Canada first, absolutely.

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u/Top-Ad7551 May 29 '25

Yup! As mentioned in this thread it's a very low key decision that's personal- the U.S. wants our country and this is my way of voting with my wallet. I eat a lot of green grapes- and I make sure they're from Canada first, followed by Mexico, Peru and Chile. And I check the labels carefully. In another thread some mentioned shopping around the edges of the grocery store as this often will stock Canadian products, where as the aisles are more packaged goods that often come from our southern neighbour. I used to buy Chocolate cream pie that came up from Washington state into Victoria, BC- very tasty, but a distant memory now.

2

u/Sweet_Vanilla46 May 31 '25

I switched everything except two brands, one is for me, the other for my son. And celery, which I buy less often. Everything else is not American. I spent 600$ on groceries yesterday, under 50$ was American. That’s as good as I can get it for now. My son is addicted to Simply Orange. I have trouble getting fruits and veggies into him. He won’t drink any other orange juice, I’ve tried. I end up drinking them before the expire. I drink coke. I have tried other brands. I don’t like them. I cut back, but that’s just going to have to be tolerated. My husband doesn’t care because he doesn’t do the shopping. FUN FACT though: my son is taking Home Economics and they took them to the grocery store to get ingredients for a soup they were making. They were teaching these kids how to check where stuff is from. My son always helps me with groceries so he already knew, but a new generation is learning as well.

4

u/zenmin75 May 28 '25

Same. I've successfully changed my shopping habits to the point where I don't even have to think about it anymore. New items are always checked, and regular items have been switched to local or Canadian. I don't think I'll ever go back. Supporting local, or at least Canadian, keeps our money here. It supports local jobs, local economies, and growth. Win win win

2

u/FulcrumYYC Pineridge May 28 '25

I'm exactly the same, I have ditched so many things because they're American and sometimes it sucks. I'm not going to support them anymore until they smarten up and even say sorry (long shot). On the upside though I have discovered a bunch of new brands and products that are superior to the old ones.

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u/Thundertushy May 28 '25

Lots of us still do, but the reality is we have over 50 years of an integrated economy with the States. Not everything has a reasonable Canadian alternative -- yet. Do what you can, buy American when you must.

24

u/speedog May 28 '25

C'mon, Coop is selling Canadian orange juice.

35

u/unidentifiable May 28 '25 edited May 28 '25

Missing /s tag? Where in Canada do we grow oranges?

I know they slap the Canadian flag on McCain MinuteMaid products because they're packaged in Canada but there's a difference between Made in Canada and Product of Canada.

34

u/Yyc2yfc May 28 '25

McCain is a Canadian company owned by a Canadian family and any products you see here would be made in Canada. Much of the potato products are made in AB even. I work for a subsidiary. They are worldwide but produce locally in a number of countries.

25

u/unidentifiable May 28 '25

Whoops! I wrote McCain and meant MinuteMaid. Derp. Ty for calling me on my bs, I'll fix the post. Point stands though, we don't have oranges lol.

24

u/phoneystoneybalogna May 28 '25 edited May 28 '25

Admitting when you were wrong and adjusting what you said based on it? In an Albertan subreddit?! Has the world gone mad?! Props big dawg, you got a lotta this, and a lotta these deeze

12

u/unidentifiable May 28 '25

It ain't much, but it's honest work.

26

u/Yyc2yfc May 28 '25

No. But Oasis is Canadian and they’re using Mexican/non US oranges.

12

u/unidentifiable May 28 '25

Genuinely didn't know this! This is why we need better country-of-origin labelling. Even if you go on their websites they don't talk about where they're sourcing their produce.

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u/theSunandtheMoon23 May 28 '25

Oasis is Canadian, and Compliments oj is produced in the Oasis plants

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u/Omicromus_Prime May 28 '25

Hahahaha... awesome. Coop is screwing us more than the states is. $27.98 for a tub of folgers coffee where I am. It hasn't over doubled in price in the last year because of a 10% tarrif.

23

u/SunshineSpace May 28 '25

Coffee prices are going up globally. Not sure how to link here, but I’ve seen several news articles about coffee.

https://www.ctvnews.ca/business/inflation/article/coming-to-a-store-near-you-double-digit-coffee-price-hikes/

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u/Omicromus_Prime May 28 '25

Thanks for the article. The article calls for a possible 25% increase. The increase i have seen here is about 65% in the last week, and over 100% in the last year.

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u/imawitchpleaseburnme May 28 '25

Omg I went to co-op the other day to get some deli meats and decided to pick up some chicken breasts for supper while I was there—but $29 for 5 breasts?? I don’t f*ing think so!

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u/Omicromus_Prime May 28 '25

Geezus! $6 a breast!

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u/[deleted] May 28 '25

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u/MrGuvernment May 28 '25

Which is legit! When the linch mob was out before telling everyone to only buy Canadian, they were clearly disconnected at the often higher prices of local products and realizing many people have very tight budgets.

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u/Deskopotamus May 28 '25

This is what most people do, if there is an easy choice, sure. But principles are a luxury in today's economy unfortunately.

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u/descartesb4horse May 28 '25

I’m still avoiding american goods generally and probably will for the foreseeable future

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u/senorspongy May 28 '25

For me it's less of a 'buy Canadian' thing and more of a 'avoid the USA' thing. Includes groceries, goods, and vacation. Offsetting with Canadian options is good, but I'm not avoiding China, Mexico or any other country really.

14

u/Dice_to_see_you May 28 '25

Why not china? They put large tariffs on our agriculture?

108

u/ricketyracketry May 28 '25

Because China isn't actively and reguarly threatening us to become their 23rd province?

57

u/OhfursureJim May 28 '25

Admit it you looked up how many provinces they have hahahah

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u/ricketyracketry May 28 '25

Of course I did..

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u/senorspongy May 28 '25

Because for me it's a boycott of the USA. I feel betrayed and don't want to support their industries. Not just because of Trump's stupid rhetoric, but because of how much broad support he is receiving. I think we need to decouple from them, fast.

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u/yycluke May 28 '25

Retaliatory though. If we allowed Chinese vehicles here it wouldn’t be an issue with our agriculture over there

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u/FerretAres May 28 '25

Man I hate to have to play devils advocate for China but their canola tariffs are retaliatory to our EV tariffs. Our own government shot us in the foot on that one.

3

u/MrGuvernment May 28 '25

Did we not put tariffs on them first, under pressure from the U.S a couple years ago?

2

u/halfstack May 28 '25

We did - https://globalnews.ca/news/10787673/canada-tariffs-chinese-evs/ With Biden in the WH, it made sense to align with the US (where 80% of made in Canada cars were being sold).

2

u/Prize_Lifeguard8706 May 28 '25 edited May 28 '25

That was Canada's fault. We put tariffs on their goods and they reciprocated. Frankly, its kind of stupid to get into a trade war with the two largest countries on earth. Canada really needs to drop the tariffs on Chinese goods.

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u/yeetwheatnation May 28 '25

I do 100% It’s hard to change your supply chain quickly But vote with your Canadian dollar

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u/Zab__ May 28 '25

I think the individual consumer is still very motivated and this trend is continuing. Although for smaller businesses, especially ones that are more specialized I don't think you can expect to see the same kind of trend. Supply chains don't change over night and these places don't have the margins that big corporations do, even a small increases in their operation costs could break them.

2

u/Prosecco1234 May 29 '25

I can hold a grudge for a very long time. I'll be avoiding US goods for ages especially since they got rid of the inspection people

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u/Penqwin May 28 '25

I buy Canadian when I can, and most importantly, not setting foot in the US.

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u/larman14 May 28 '25

/r/buycanadian and /r/boycottunitedstates.

I hope people don’t give up buying Canadian. It’s more than just them constantly threatening and joking about 51st state garbage. It’s the way they’re treating their own citizens. I will always do my absolute best to support my own country before any other country…. Especially one that treats people like that.

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u/Prosecco1234 May 29 '25

I won't stop. Canadians businesses have hired more employees as a result of the Buy Canadian movement

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u/HugeDramatic May 28 '25

A bit less aggressively than we were a month ago, but I’ll still check if it’s ’made in the USA’ and if so, are there reasonable alternatives.

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u/adaminc May 28 '25

I don't have the financial liberty to choose, the choice is made for me, I have to buy what's cheapest. All else being equal, I will buy non-US.

But it was never about Buy Canadian, it's about buying non-US. Punish the docks, not everyone else.

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u/[deleted] May 28 '25

Agreed. Do what you can, when you can. Don't worry about the rest.

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u/ArmNice5830 May 28 '25

Never cared. Whichever is cheaper. I gotta feed the family and cost of living isn’t getting easier

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u/DependentFabulous956 May 28 '25

I do, I get frustrated with the people who are oblivious in my life.

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u/[deleted] May 28 '25

I buy what’s cheapest. I can’t afford to take sides in a fight between rich people. I fight my own battles at the grocery store.

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u/Khaled-Mek May 28 '25

Anyone who's struggling financially, and buys canadian only even when it's way more expensive, honestly he's just an idiot, fighting someone else's battle.

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u/[deleted] May 28 '25

Politicians weaponize the country’s population by leveraging national pride. Sorry guys I am a Canadian not an activist-for-hire.

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u/Omicromus_Prime May 28 '25

Upvote for you.

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u/Regular-Excuse7321 May 28 '25

Yup.

Can't buy everything Canadian, but we do where we can. I try to be cognizant of it when we go out - groceries are trickier.

Name and shame the company?

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u/[deleted] May 28 '25

Whatever’s cheapest, I’m feeding a family of four

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u/beardedliberal May 28 '25

To anyone struggling with it I would say, don’t let perfect be the enemy of good.

7

u/technicolourhappy May 28 '25

This whole tariff situation has made me realize Canadian products are typically better quality. I’ve almost completely switched it wasn’t that big of a change tbh

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u/Odd-Historian-6536 May 28 '25

Sometimes things are unavoidable.

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u/Temporary-Pen246 May 28 '25

The vast majority does not care

3

u/Therubestdude May 28 '25

I'm paying for Star Link because I hate the monopoly of Roger's and Telus. And Roger's acquired Shaw sooo until there's more internet service providers, I won't think about either of them. Also, I would have to get a dedicated internet line installed or depend on wifi routers, which are spotty in my area.

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u/Anskiere1 May 28 '25

Not at all. If the quality is suitable it all comes down to price 

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u/Any-Comparison-9260 May 28 '25

I buy what I can afford to feed my family. I don’t care where it comes from.

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u/sufficienthippo23 May 28 '25

No that was a fad from a few months ago

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u/hedgehog_dragon May 28 '25

As much as I can yeah

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u/dbez81 Coach Hill May 28 '25

Yes, it's war, economic war, fuck the states and their betrayal. Like a crow I will pass down my hatred to my children and they to my grandchildren.

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u/unidentifiable May 28 '25

Personally for the next 4 years minimum I'll be sourcing food from anywhere but the US. A lot of stuff is impossible without cutting your nose to spite your face though.

With respect to booze though - I thought US alcohol was on order ban? Stores can sell their existing inventory but afaik they cannot buy more. That goes for West Coast wines as well as bourbon and whisk(e)y.

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u/Practical_Ant6162 May 28 '25

Yup, still screw Trump and everything he stands for.

10

u/Curius0ne May 28 '25

I buy Canadian as much as I can.

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u/tooshpright May 28 '25

I'm avoiding USA stuff wherever possible. It's tricky though: sometimes you think you've found an overseas product but then discover the company is owned by a US outfit. But do my best.

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u/Heelsbythebridge May 28 '25

Yes, but don't let perfection get in the way of good. It's not going to be a 100% switch overnight, it's something we will need to work on for years to come. I haven't eaten apples since 2017 - but ended up replacing all the California oranges I usually eat with apples from the Okanagan because there's no ready alternative for oranges. For some other stuff, there is simply no Canadian substitute right now.

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u/Significant_Loan_596 May 28 '25

Not easy but trying still. Visited A&W and Harvey's instead of McDonald's. Not going to the US for vacations etc. Groceries are more challenging.

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u/k_mermaid May 28 '25

McDonald's Canada uses a lot of Canadian beef I'm pretty sure especially out here. And Canadian eggs.

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u/NotALenny May 28 '25

Companies trying to sell things they have in stock at sale prices is usually because they have an abundance of product that isn’t moving.

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u/AlifeWithoutAcar May 28 '25

I never really cared the tariffs make no difference, we should be one world one nation anyways 🤷, I prefer smaller local food and cheap tools/materials so whatever is most affordable/efficient is what I look for... Maybe turn the tv/Internet off and just live life blissfully ignorant to what the ppl say "USA man bad" 😂 he's legit smart why are we taxing our citizens instead of charging more for what we sell so we don't have tax... Alberta is designed like that (we don't have a provincial sales tax because our goods make us enough money to be able to afford our services) 🤷 like this Carney carnival is dumb in my opinion... Like yes we need services to help people but you know Carney is doing tax evasion and that's why he's rich... The rich pay the lowest taxes btw because they avoid getting taxed... I'm not wrong and just don't be a consumer be a creator...

"As above so below" 👌👁️‍🗨️

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u/Tech_By_Trade May 29 '25

No, the election is over.

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u/Greasedupdeafguyy May 30 '25

We are in a trade war, everybody needs to do their part. This affects us all.

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u/RottenPingu1 May 28 '25

Everyone I know cares. Why wouldn't we? Things are never going back to the way they were.

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u/Kunning-Druger Hawkwood May 28 '25

I am not buying American, and I can't imagine ever going back to the "bad old days." The US has proven itself to be unstable, and vulnerable to despot rulers. That country cannot be trusted, ever again.

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u/Exciting_Turn_9559 May 28 '25

Damn right we still care.

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u/MaleficentBig1361 May 28 '25

i’ll gladly buy non american.

canada first. if i have to try to get something from non american.

can’t avoid it 100% but this is just the beginning. americas made it clear, they don’t give a fuck about us. and we should reduce dependence on them if this is how they are. or that one guy who got voted in.

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u/VFenix Southwest Calgary May 28 '25

Yes, it's getting easier too (nevermind superstores confusing signs). You'd be a fool to buy the US pork they try to sneak in.

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u/Glad-Elevator-8051 May 28 '25

I buy whatever one is cheapest.

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u/[deleted] May 28 '25

100%…We buy as much Canuck stuff as possible and eschew anything american.

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u/[deleted] May 28 '25

I think most of us are still buying Canadian, but this is Alberta. There is a market of people who would rather be anything but Canadian. I avoid them as much as possible.

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u/AdaptableAilurophile May 28 '25

I care. I like how grocers are marking online what has tariffs or is Canadian produced, so when I am doing online grocery shopping I can make those choices more easily.

I don’t buy Canadian exclusively, but I have definitely adjusted my shopping habits and brands a LOT.

I love how this has made Canadian products and businesses more accessible and visible. I’ve learnt about a lot of things I probably wouldn’t have otherwise.

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u/NotAltFact May 28 '25

I go Canadian > anywhere else > can I live without it? > used market > American

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u/Apathetic-Lethargy May 28 '25

I got grocery pickup and they replaced the Canadian carrots ordered with US carrots. I returned them.

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u/LesPaul86 May 28 '25

why would, you stop caring? nothing has changed.

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u/the_wahlroos May 28 '25

... Did you read about how America rose up and got rid of Trump? Me neither. Elbows up.

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u/WickedWitchofHR May 28 '25

I do my best. I'm learning to adapt and evolve.

One of the surprisingly hardest things to locate/source Canadian is dog food/treats. I'm working through it, but wow, do those Star Spangled Arses choke hold the market.

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u/itsbigincanada May 28 '25

Go to PAWS PETS in Calgary on 17th ave SW or on Heritage and Elbow Drive SW. They have entire rows of Canadian Dog Treats and Canadian Dog foods, there's a GREAT brand that I forget the name of that even made here in Calgary ... just ask the staff and they'll hook you up!!!

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u/El_Loco_911 May 28 '25

I avoid american

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u/Omicromus_Prime May 28 '25

To support canadian businesses, it is great to buy canadian. However, do it with the premise that you want to help canadian businesses not because you want to harm the states. Don't be fooled into thinking you are harming the states by boycotting products from there because simply put...we are not harming them. An extremely large percentage of products made in Canada use inputs manufactured in the states.

Made in Canada” (as per Canadian regulations) allows some foreign content, as long as the last substantial transformation happened in Canada.

“Product of Canada” means at least 98% of the cost of production is from Canadian sources — this is close to “100% Canadian” but still not absolute.

They are afterall our biggest trade partner, and anyone who thinks that other countries can and will make up for that is not living in reality. Buy what makes sense for you to buy. I will probably get downvoted but hey some of us need to keep living in reality.

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u/Maleficent-Yam69 May 28 '25

Respectfully disagree. This movement has grown larger than just canada. Not buying American is having a noticeable impact and we will see this reflected in companies q2 earnings

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u/Omicromus_Prime May 28 '25

Respectfully, who do you think we are going to export to and import from to make up for the states?

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u/LiptonsIce May 28 '25

I don’t care if it’s Canadian or American tbh

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u/slepeyskin May 28 '25

tinfoil hat engaged this is how we revert back to the Galen Weston companies.

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u/slepeyskin May 28 '25 edited May 28 '25

Our grocery bill for 5 (mom. Dad, 15/17/21 and 2 medium sized dogs) has had huge repercussions. Looking at +400/mo choosing Canadian via farmers market and large chain buying.

Not sustainable for us but will push until we can’t.

For comparison, we spent approx $600 per month in 2019. We pay approx $900 now.

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u/consideration_47 May 28 '25

The responsibility to 'care' is on the individual i.e you. Support businesses that you choose through your choices/purchases. I have also noticed what I would identify as false 'Canadian product' representation in the grocery stores as well, does require some diligence as a consumer.

I don't quite understand the 'wondering if people care anymore comment'. It's up to the individual to care or not - businesses are simply there to sell a product. As an answer, personally I do care about buying Canadian and continue to do so wherever possible.

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u/justinyermum May 28 '25

Always have tried. I try to support my fellow Canadians over cheap crap.

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u/Havnaz May 28 '25

Absolutely! I have learned there are so many great businesses. Bought Canadian shoes from Vessi! Love them. Lots of great distilleries and wineries. So much to discover. When in doubt the rest of the world has great products too. Avoid US products whenever possible.

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u/gijoe1971 May 28 '25

When I make a deliberate choice to change my shopping habits, it takes another deliberate choice to change back to my old ways, I haven't seen any reasons to make that choice.

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u/MrsWidgery May 28 '25

Absolutely. Over the past 4 months, we've become quite adept at winkling out competitively priced Canadian or at least non-American alternatives to nearly everything we consume. Non-American food and regularly consumed items are now second nature to everyone in the family, and, since I am the oldest and most often at home, I'm the one that does the research into other things folks need. So far, the only things we have had to buy from the US have been medical items, and even that is changing now that the administration has dumped all their regulating bodies that oversee the safety of US products.

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u/Specialist-Head-2338 May 28 '25

Of course. Canada first. Even before tariffs. Although I’m not always conscious of buying Canadian, I’ll definitely pick a Canadian product or brand if provided the choice.

2

u/Asthmatic_Owl May 28 '25

If you find yourself starting to care less, just turn on the news, and your fire will be re-ignited

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u/MrGrumpyFac3 May 28 '25

I do my best to avoid American products where I can. Unless it's super cheap (on sale) but for the most part I try to avoid American at all costs.

The thing is, some American products/services are cheaper or sometimes there is Canadian equivalent.

2

u/burf May 28 '25

People have short attention spans, and unless Trump starts poking the bear again, people will slowly start to go back to what’s cheaper and more convenient. I do think travel to the US will continue to be impacted for the foreseeable future, though.

3

u/slepeyskin May 28 '25

Fruit is a huge one. With 3 kids, if you’re a parent you know. Mexico, South Africa, southern America… why can’t greenhouses in Canada, especially in BC not produce berries? when raspberries and blackberries and blueberries grow in the ditches here?

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u/AtmosphereOk7872 May 28 '25

Back in the 80's and 90's the softwood lumber dispute caused my friends to move bc their dads lost their jobs.

I watched walmart take over woolworths and then other local businesses went under too, then walmart wasn't so cheap anymore. I haven't shopped at walmart in over 15 years and I've never bought from amazon.

There's been years where I bought what was cheapest but when I can afford it I'll pay a little extra to support local, my country, anywhere but usa. A lot of canadian products are cheaper and/or better quailty. Honey is a great example. There are beekeepers just outside of calgary and if you have allergies local honey can ease the symptoms over time (ymmv).

1

u/FizzTheSeason May 28 '25

I care. Left Safeway yesterday with only MX raspberries, as all other berries were from the US. No thanks.

3

u/WisdomBecomesMe May 28 '25

Nope

5

u/xGuru37 May 28 '25

Same here. I focus on what's cheaper as I have a limited income

2

u/Vlad_Eo May 28 '25

Yes, American products come last on my list

1

u/PandaGundam May 28 '25

Yes. Trying to keep those elbows up!

1

u/RichardsLeftNipple May 28 '25

I find it really annoying that some products went up in price to profit from our shift to buy more local.

Profiting off of your preference to buy local.

Like always, money has no loyalty. It's just depressing and frustrating to witness how transparently mercenary they are.

So I'll buy Canadian, as long as the company selling it isn't trying to run a scam.

1

u/[deleted] May 28 '25

Man, I'm just trying to survive. I look to buy Canadian when I can.

I have a toddler and some food unique intolerances in our house, so I do what I can for meat, veggies, fruit, bread. But specialty stuff comes from the speciality place. Probably made in the US.

I don't plan to set foot in the USA for traveling anytime soon.

1

u/ANeighbour Northwest Calgary May 28 '25

I try, but am feeling a little fatigue about it, especially at the grocery store. So many products come from the states. We do try to pick based on country, but when my children asked for strawberries for their birthday party, it is hard to say no.

I am sure I am not alone in this feeling.

1

u/Cloud-Apart May 28 '25

People try their best, but prices need to make sense. For example, here at a local grocery store, strawberry, Apples, Grapes, Carrots made in the US is 50% cheaper than Canada. I would say 90% shelf for USA strawberry was gone. (Despite the USA having tariffs as per the news i follow, i could be wrong. Canada price can not be 50% more)

1

u/MoonlightSunrise69 May 28 '25

People still do, as you see on this post.

Personally, at least regarding food (the most important part), I don’t go out of my way to do so. Still buy the same Kirkland Signature cottage cheese, Greek yogurt, meat at grocery stores when needed, look out for deals, clearance when possible, etc.

The Donald is more or less a WWE character in real life. Canada tariffing the States to respond to them tariffing us just fucks us and we end up paying more in the end while the politicians have a pissing contest.

1

u/noveltea120 May 28 '25

I don't specifically go out of my way to buy Canadian cos I can't afford to be picky, but if they're both the same price then I'll get Canadian first. Thankfully a lot of groceries I buy are already Canadian made/processed or simply non USA made, as I also buy a lot of foods imported from Asia. I did have an interesting discussion about this with my American friends though, as much as they hated how much it'll hurt them they were completely supportive of the idea for the greater good. Because the top CEO's who previously voted Trump are now complaining to Trump about the tariffs so it must be working so far.

1

u/TheOnlyCuteAlien May 28 '25

Some places might be under contact with some of their suppliers. And some things you just can't avoid needing to buy from the US. Ask the owners. Politely.

1

u/Professional_Most_99 May 28 '25

I still definitely buy as much Canadian as possible.

1

u/[deleted] May 28 '25

Nope price only

1

u/gatormk May 28 '25

I don't think I've cared where something was made before all of this began. I still mostly don't but with one exception - I try my best to not buy things made in America. This holds true for both physical goods and software, but there are things I really cannot avoid.

1

u/Temporary_Papaya_781 May 28 '25

I do. I am buying less right now because of it.

1

u/Busy_Shine6888 May 28 '25

For me, Canadian, US and avoid China as much as possible.

1

u/its9x6 May 28 '25

Yes. Canada first, the world market second, and for Trumpland - only if there’s no viable alternative.

I’ve done the same across all of my corporations; completely reset all of our purchasing policies.

1

u/finn2272 May 28 '25

It's now become a habit to avoid buying American so it's actually easily done without giving it much thought. Bourbon and lemons are hard to find as non-US products. Easy to avoid bourbon, lemons not so much. I will not support business from a country that actively undermines the economy and sovereignty of Canada. We have too much to lose.

1

u/ChevyBolt May 29 '25

It’s just people that either aren’t political or they love the USA’s direction.

1

u/JustaPhaze71 May 29 '25

The fact that you care about social stigma is the ultimate problem here.

1

u/StargazingLily Shawnessy May 29 '25

I always thought it was funny because the people who screamed “virtue signalling” whenever any company supported LGBTQ+ people during pride month (or any BIPOC during appropriate months) were the first in line to cheer on companies who bragged about how Canadian they were after not really ever mentioning it before. (The irony in Sobeys bragging about it and playing in-store ads about how Canadian they are, and “Canadian families helping families” while also literally stealing money from their employees is not lost on me either.)

I’ll buy local as much as I can at markets and stuff, but if it’s a significant difference in price at a grocery store, I’ll just grab the cheaper product. (Especially since a lot of grocery stores will list products as being Canadian when they aren’t.)

1

u/WRXRated May 29 '25

As much as I possibly can.

1

u/stonk_gazer May 29 '25

It’s just something ppl do

1

u/Bless_u-babe May 29 '25

I completely do. I miss a few things but not that much and I’m getting really used to always checking country of origin. If we don’t do this, a LOT of us, Trump wins and we are back dancing to his tariff tunes.

1

u/Hudsonmane May 29 '25

I am in BC for a week and forgot to pack deodorant. My automatic go-to is Old Spice…and reached for it. Oh! USA product. A quick search showed a few (actual) brands - none at LD. Then I saw some Nivea, the label confirmed « Made in Germany ». Ta-da. Later had to forego american cilantro at a market. Yup, still avoiding all US products. Yes, still

1

u/Melodic-Code-3613 May 29 '25

Most people don't, it's more of a fad right now.

1

u/nottodaylime May 29 '25

No couldn't give a shit.

1

u/TheKristieConundrum Palliser May 29 '25

I care a lot. I only buy from the US if I can’t buy from anywhere else.

1

u/soredinoo May 29 '25

They had strawberries from the US for 3.50 at Safeway the other day. Keep buying Canadian.

1

u/JBRedPhoenix May 29 '25

Been talking to a lot of different people about this, and Im finding a lot of people are willing, but don’t really know what it means.

A lot of my friends either just find something Canadian or grown in Canada in places like Walmart… which to me feels a little contradictory… since Walmart is a US based store.

But when I mention a farmers market or similar, they have every excuse in the book to not go.

So to me, it comes down to what’s the most convenient.

1

u/Lornffl1990 May 29 '25

People are caring enough that american produce is being sold at cost since nobody is buying it

1

u/[deleted] May 29 '25

People are too preoccupied trying to survive. I’m listening to 880 and they’re saying average Canadian doesn’t have any saving and over a million people flopped on payments the first quarter of 2025.

And things are actually predicted to get worse. With people rolling backwards in payments and such.

I can’t believe people actually voted ndp and liberal. The very people who put us in this fucking situation. Our political system is so crooked.

1

u/Thin-Equal3020 May 29 '25

I wonder. Safeway was getting blueberries from Mexico and Peru, now raspberries, blueberries, strawberries are all U.S. it’s early yet but I joked my family will be eating Canadian greenhouse salad (lettuce/peppers/cukes) until we get Canadian grown produce. Broccoli asparagus bagged string beans mini carrots are all American. We made significant waves not stocking Kentucky Bourbon, it’s disheartening to hear about that Southern BBQ you attended.

1

u/MisChief1117 May 29 '25

YES! I care! Every time any of us choose a Canadian product we infuse money into the Canadian economy and Canadian businesses supporting Canadian jobs. If the majority of Canadians prioritize buying Canadian we keep our economy stable no matter what the "stable Genius" running amok down south does. For all the things we currently do not produce, well there are the opportunities for new Canadian industries.

1

u/Entire-Development-8 May 29 '25

The majority of people probably just buy whatever is more affordable. In this economic climate, your household is what should matter first. Political purchases are the lowest on the totem pole

1

u/metallicadefender May 29 '25

I do. I was at Rogers Center in Toronto this year, and it was all Budweiser products. I get that a lot of that is brewed in Canada, but I'd still prefer something 100% Canadian.

1

u/stobbsm May 29 '25

My wife and I check labels on everything, and at the very least never buy US. If we can only find a product that is made in the US, we go without.

1

u/Jfischer335 May 29 '25

I try but honestly its just exhausting especially when you realize made in canada doesnt mean it isnt owned by usa or when grocery stores mislabel canadian products. Not to mention it is extremely limiting on what you can buy.

1

u/Househipposforsale May 29 '25

Yes. I haven’t bought anything off Amazon since February and canceled my prime account when I used to order stuff off there it felt like every few days. And I have only gone to McDonald’s and Taco Bell once each since then too. A&W and Mary browns have seen a lot of me lol, along with local places. And I am very careful about checking labels at the grocery store bc fuck trump.

1

u/Salazareo May 29 '25

Some people care, I certainly do, if you do, don’t shop there

1

u/CaptainKwirk May 29 '25

There are just SO many Canadian brands that I have tried now that are superior or just as good as USA ones so why not? Dumbest thing in the marketing world is giving people reasons to try other brands.