‘Stick up for ourselves’: Saskatchewan shoppers join the ‘buy Canadian’ movement

A customer shops for meat at T&T Supermarket's location in Toronto's Fairview Mall, Friday, Nov. 28, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Grocery shopping has become a new battle ground in the developing trade war with the United States.

A “Buy Canadian” movement is sweeping the nation after U.S. President Donald Trump announced 25 per cent tariffs on most Canadian goods, that were schedule to come into effect on Tuesday.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau took to social media Monday afternoon saying after a phone call with Trump, the proposed tariffs have been paused for 30 days.

In the meantime, grocery shoppers CTV News spoke to say they’re making a conscious effort to check where their products come from.

“I have been looking for Canadian labels, of course,” Jim Abel told CTV News.

“As Canadians we have to stick up for ourselves.”

“I think what you need to do is just look and see online what is Canadian, and just go and buy Canadian stuff,” Shawn Melkert said.

Many people are taking to social media to recommend Canadian–made alternatives to American products.

Jason Aebig, CEO of Saskatoon’s Chamber of Commerce, says it can be difficult for a consumer to determine if a product is Canadian-made, since the Canadian and American supply chains are highly integrated.

“There are products that will cross the border several times before they get to the end state,” Aebig said in an interview with CTV News.

“A part or a component is done in Canada, it is shipped to the U.S. for the next piece, and then the last piece is put on in Canada. And as a result, it’s country of origin labeling may be a Canadian-made product, even though it would have traversed the border several times.”

Aebig notes there has been a push for retailers to highlight Canadian-made products on their shelves to help eliminate the guesswork for shoppers.

He also said small businesses and consumers will likely see the impacts of the tariffs immediately.

“It’s really our smallest service and retail businesses that are going to feel it, and the consumers of those businesses,” he said.

“Virtually all of them will rely in one way, shape, or form on U.S. inventory or inputs to deliver what they do. And if those are more costly, frankly, they’ll have no choice but to pass those higher costs onto consumers, because they don’t have the margins or the capacity to absorb those higher costs.”

Aebig said trade wars often result in “significant losses” for both sides.