BUY CANADIAN!!

By: Gavin Pitchford

There hasn’t been a more important time in decades to be conscious of what you’re buying, and where it comes from. So wrap yourself in the flag, before you go shopping! Just because Trump’s Tariff War was successfully defeated – for a month anyway – is no reason to NOT buy Canadian and avoid American options where possible.  Now is the time to hammer home the risks to the US economy if they make us mad!

So, Canada, let’s keep this momentum going! Trump only picks on people that he sees as weak – so the best thing we can do for our country is to demonstrate clearly that messing with Canada comes at a cost. Consider this your patriotic duty through January 2029 to make that cost as big as possible!

From an environmental point of view, there’s also a great advantage to buying local – which is near and dear to our hearts at Clean50. So, two great reasons to pay attention to the “Made In Canada” labels,

Below, a list of alternatives we copied from elsewhere, to which we made additions,  modified somewhat to correct a few glaring errors – please let us know if you spot other mistakes or opportunities, and share additional options to either of abbey@deltamanagement.com or me: We will continue to run the list as long as it’s useful.    

Feel free to cut, paste, and share widely!   If we messed up, or you have suggestions please email us: clean50@deltamanagement.com

First and foremost, the most impactful thing to do … Switch from Amazon to buy from your local retailer!!

SERVICES:

While Trump is moaning about the balance of trade in hard goods favouring Canada, he forgets the balance of trade in services dramatically tilts to the American side. So your business purchases of services can make a huge difference as well.  

So think Purolator or Canada Post instead of UPS or FedEx being one obvious example.  

Prioritize doing business with Canadian based law firms, consulting firms, engineering firms, architecture firms, search firms (!!), with second choice being UK or EU based firms

Make buying Canadian Clean tech your first choice!   

There’s a long list of options at https://octia.ca/about-octia/members/

Resources

and here, on the Clean50 website, searchable by key word

Ordering In / Dining Out:

Say “No” to: McDonalds, Burger King, Starbucks, Dominos, Taco Bell, Wendy’s, KFC, Five Guys (Burgers), Shake Shack, Subway, Chipotle

Instead, say “Yes” to: Pizza Delight, Pizza Pizza, Boston Pizza, the Recipe Unlimited (formerly Cara Foods) brands (Harveys, Kelseys, The Keg, Milestones, The Landing chain, Montana’s East Side Marios, NY Fries,  and others – all owned by the same company) A&W (surprisingly yes- Canadian group different, and exclusively Cdn beef).

Consumers: Check the labels always!

HOME IMPROVEMENT / DURABLE GOODS

  • Never Home Depot ! (big Trump Donor) – instead Home Hardware, Canadian Tire, or Timbrmart
    (Rona is now US owned by Sycamore Partners, but has substantial Canadian presence and employees)

DAIRY PRODUCTS

  • Instead of Kraft (cheese, dairy) → Try Saputo, Black Diamond, Armstrong
  • Instead of Philadelphia (cream cheese) → Try Lactantia, Tre Stelle, Agropur
  • Instead of Yoplait (yogurt) → Try Astro, Olympic, Liberté
  • Instead of Land O’Lakes (butter) → Try Lactantia, Natrel, Gay Lea

SOFT DRINKS AND BEVERAGES

  • Instead of Coca-Cola, Pepsi → Try Canada Dry, store brand sodas
  • Instead of Tropicana (juice) → Try Oasis, SunRype, Arthur’s
  • Instead of Gatorade, Powerade → Try BioSteel (Canadian sports drink)
  • Instead of Starbucks bottled drinks → Try Second Cup ready-to-drink beverages

PACKAGED AND SNACK FOODS

  • Instead of Lay’s (chips) → Try Old Dutch, Covered Bridge, Hardbite
  • Instead of Doritos, Cheetos → Try Neal Brothers, Hardbite tortilla chips
  • Instead of Kellogg’s (cereal) → Try Nature’s Path, Barbara’s, Quaker (some products Canadian-made – read the labels)
  • Instead of Nabisco (cookies/crackers) → Try Dare, Leclerc, Voortman, Christies
  • Instead of Campbell’s (soups) → Try No-name store brands, Habitant
  • Instead of Heinz ketchup:  Try French’s (Canadian-made ketchup)

MEAT AND PROCESSED FOODS

  • Instead of Oscar Mayer (deli meats) → Try Maple Leaf, Schneiders, Pillers
  • Instead of Hormel (bacon, ham) → Try Maple Leaf, Olymel, Grimm’s
  • Instead of Tyson Foods (chicken products) → Try Lilydale, Maple Lodge Farms
  • Instead of Beyond Meat (plant-based) → Try Yves Veggie Cuisine, Gardein

CONDIMENTS AND SAUCES

  • Instead of Hellmann’s (mayonnaise) → Try store no-name / store brands
  • Instead of French’s (mustard) → Try Kozlik’s, No-name / store brands
  • Instead of Hidden Valley (salad dressing) → Try Renee’s, Kraft (Canadian-made varieties)
  • Instead of Tabasco (hot sauce) → Try Dawson’s, Piri Piri by PC, No Name hot sauce

BAKING PRODUCTS

  • Instead of Pillsbury (flour, baking mixes) → Try Robin Hood, Five Roses, Compliments
  • Instead of Betty Crocker (cake mixes) → Try No-name / store brands
  • Instead of Hershey’s (chocolate chips) → Try Camino, Laura Secord, store brand chocolate chips
  • Instead of Domino (sugar) → Try Redpath

FROZEN FOODS

  • Instead of Green Giant (vegetables) → Try Arctic Gardens, Compliments, No Name
  • Instead of Stouffer’s (frozen meals) → Try M&M Food Market, No-name / store brands
  • Instead of Eggo (waffles) → Try Nature’s Path, No-name / store brands
  • Instead of DiGiorno (frozen pizza) → Try Dr. Oetker (most made in Canada), Liberetto, McCain, Oggi, No-name / store brands,
  • Instead of Ben& Jerry’s, Breyers (Ice cream) → Chapmans, Kawartha Lakes, Haagen- Daz

COFFEE AND TEA

  • Instead of Starbucks → Second Cup, David’s Tea, Van Houtte, and your local coffee shop
  • Instead of Folgers → Try Nabob, Kicking Horse Coffee
  • Instead of Lipton (tea) → Try Red Rose, Tetley (some products Canadian-made)
  • Instead of Nestlé (coffee creamers) → Try International Delight (Canadian-made), Beatrice creamers

PERSONAL CARE PRODUCTS

  • Instead of Colgate (toothpaste) → Try Green Beaver, Tom’s of Maine (some Canadian-made)
  • Instead of Dove (soap, shampoo) → Try Live Clean, The Green Beaver Company
  • Instead of Head & Shoulders → Try Attitude, The Unscented Company
  • Instead of Gillette (razors, shaving cream) → Try Schick (some Canadian-made), Personna

Suggestions? Errors?  Email clean50@deltamanagement.com