Thinking of buying locally but need help identifying items sourced from and made in Canada?
There are online resources to help navigate what products are made in the Great White North.
Websites, mobile apps and social media groups have sprung up in response to the growing desire to shop locally and support Canadian small businesses in the face of a brewing trade war initiated by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Made in CA (madeinca.ca) was founded in 2018 out of frustration with U.S. tariff battles and unfair trade practices from other nations.
**Are you a business selling or producing Canadian products in the GTA? Contact [email protected]**
The site allows the public to submit products and services that are made in Canada, which are broken down by categories and location. Users can also search the database for specific items. A grocery guide is also available that identifies foods made in Canada.
Beaver Made (beavermade.ca) allows users to scan barcodes in an effort to determine if the product is fully Canadian, manufactured in Canada by an American company or imported.
If the product is not Canadian or manufactured here by a U.S. entity, the site will suggest similar Canadian goods.
Buy Beaver (isitfromcanada.ca) is a fairly recent website and app that allows consumers to make informed buying decisions. Users can rate products that are either made in Canada, mostly Canadian, partly Canadian or made elsewhere.
Interested shoppers can also view products with the best overall scores or by the top manufacturing, ingredient and brand ownership ratings.
On Facebook, the Made in Canada – Canadian Products group was started more than six years ago and has about 900,000 followers who share and discuss what products they love from manufacturers and small businesses across the country.
On Reddit, the Buy Canadian subreddit has been around for more than six years as well and has 174,000 followers who discuss current trends and how they are supporting Canadian companies.
In addition, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has resources to help consumers understand the different types of labelling that clarifies whether the food is a product of Canada, made in the country, manufactured here using domestic and imported ingredients or made using imported ingredients.