Although tariffs are paused for now - a movement has started that MP Taylor Bachrach calls a silver lining;
“We should be buying Canadian, all the time, even when there aren’t tariffs. But this threat from the Americans has really opened people’s eyes to the fact that we have to support local producers, we have to support Canadian producers. And we make some great stuff right here in Canada. ”
And as the buy local movement continues to gather steam across B.C., more and more retailers across the northwest are finding ways to emphasize their Canadian products.
Local business owner Jordi Edmonds says his company is making efforts to remove American products.
“We’ve done a pretty good job of going through it and trying to pull any American products off the shelf. Some might slip through, for sure.”
Skeena Valley Meats both sources locally and imports from Europe;
“Most of our products come out of Canada, or we import lots from Europe, through a company called Bosa foods. So Italian, Hungarian. You know, there’s lots of different sorts, German. But yeah, we’re trying really hard not to have any American products in our shop.”
Although tariffs are now on pause until April 2nd, British Columbians will now remain more aware than ever of where their products come from. Bachrach says this is a good thing.
“You know, seeing people out there saying they’re not going to be buying American products, they’re going to be looking for that Maple Leaf on the shelves, having big stores going through their inventory and identifying which products are products of Canada. I think all of that is upside for us. Right. And hopefully that movement can continue because, while we’re a relatively small population and a relatively small economy next to the United States, every dollar that we can keep in our country supporting Canadian business, is a dollar that makes our Canadian economy stronger. So, yeah, a really, really positive aspect, I think.”