How to Shop Canadian

Choosing Canadian products supports our economy, our workers, and our communities. The guide below will help you identify products that are genuinely Canadian and understand common country-of-origin labels.

NEW: Another Reason to Shop Canadian

When I first created the “How to Shop Canadian Guide”, it was in response to tariff threats and growing concerns about supporting Canadian businesses and protecting Canadian jobs. Those reasons remain as important as ever.

More recently, however, another consideration has emerged. Concerns have been raised about changes to the United States' public health and food safety infrastructure, giving Canadians another practical reason to pay close attention to where the products they purchase originate.

Supporting Canadian products has always been about more than economics. It is about supporting Canadian farmers, Canadian workers, Canadian businesses, and Canadian families. Increasingly, it is also about having confidence in the systems that help protect the food we place on our tables.

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Why This Matters

Recent decisions by the current U.S. Administration to reduce staffing and resources at key public health agencies have prompted warnings from respected public health and food safety experts about the country's ability to quickly detect, investigate and trace food-borne illness outbreaks.

When food safety systems are weakened, contaminated products may take longer to identify, trace and remove from the marketplace. Strong surveillance, laboratory capacity and rapid traceability are essential to protecting public health.

The recent cyclospora outbreak serves as a reminder that these systems matter. When outbreaks occur, every day counts in identifying the source and limiting additional illnesses.

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Every purchase we make is a choice.

People should pay closer attention than ever to where their produce comes from. Knowing where your food originates is an important part of making informed decisions for your family.

Given everything that has transpired with the current U.S. Administration, this has become another factor Canadians should weigh when deciding whether to purchase U.S. products.

For me, the recent changes to U.S. public health oversight have reduced my confidence in the systems responsible for protecting consumers and give Canadians one more reason to support Canadian producers whenever possible.