- Job creation: When you buy from local businesses, you are directly supporting jobs within your community, as they are more likely to hire local residents.
- Economic multiplier effect: When money is spent locally, it gets recirculated through the community as local businesses then spend that money on other local services and goods, creating a positive ripple effect.
- Community development: Supporting local businesses can contribute to a thriving community by fostering a sense of place and supporting local initiatives.
- Reduced environmental impact: Buying locally can sometimes mean less transportation of goods, which can reduce carbon emissions.
Buy Canadian
With recent shifts in the economic and trade landscape, the City of Burlington is committed to standing shoulder to shoulder with our local businesses.
As news about tariffs develops, we recognize the challenges this could bring to families and businesses in our community. That’s why we’re focused on ensuring Canadian businesses have the support they need to stay strong, competitive, and resilient in the face of uncertainty.
Federal Update - Sept. 9, 2026
The United States implemented an additional 50 percent tariff on $27.6 billion worth of Canadian goods on August 22, 2026. Impacted products include dairy, alcohol, and a wide range of items across numerous industries from electronics and building materials to apparel and agricultural goods. Notably, the tariffs apply even to CUSMA-compliant goods and have no expiry date.
In response, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney announced a dollar-for-dollar counter-offensive, enacting retaliatory tariffs of 15, 25, and 50 percent on $27.6 billion worth of American imports. These countermeasures—focusing heavily on U.S. steel, appliances, electronics, plastics, and agricultural equipment—came into force on September 8, 2026.
For a more detailed list of Canadian goods impacted by the Aug. 22 tariffs visit: ctvnews.ca/world/trumps-tariffs
What You Can Do
Buying products made in Canada is an important way to support Canadian entrepreneurs, Canadian workers, and members of your local community.
When shopping, check products for "Made in Canada" or "Produced in Canada" labels and consider buying them instead of other available products.
NEW: Canadians have designed a number of apps to help consumers find Canadian-made products.
Find them on the Apple or Android App Store:
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Shop Canadian: A quick way to get product information by scanning barcodes
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Buy Beaver: Rates how Canadian a product is based on where it's made, ingredients, and brand ownership
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Maple Scan: Analyzes photos of products to determine if they meet government criteria for being labeled "made in Canada"
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O SCANada: Helps Canadians buy Canadian products
NOTE - links and/or app references are not operated by or affiliated with the City of Burlington in any way and that any use of or reliance on the information contained on those sites/from those apps is the responsibility of the user
You can also choose to support your local businesses, producers, and farmers instead of larger shops.
Check your food labels
Find out more about how to check for country of origin on food labels.
Shop Local
You can also choose to support your local businesses, producers, and farmers instead of larger shops. Find tips on supporting local businesses.
Shop Local, Buy Green
Discover low-waste living and green buying tips, a searchable directory for local eco-friendly products, services, businesses, and much more.
How to Support Canadian Products and Retailers
By being an informed shopper, you help strengthen Canada’s economy and support local jobs.
Tips courtesy of Marvin Ryder, Associate Professor of Marketing and Entrepreneurship, DeGroote School of Business, McMaster University.
Be an informed shopper
Not all products with Canadian symbols are truly Canadian. Understand the difference:
- “Made in Canada”: means the product was at least 51 per cent manufactured in Canada, but the ingredients could be imported.
- “Product of Canada”: means all or virtually all (at least 98 per cent) of the total direct costs of producing or manufacturing the good have been in Canada.
- “Produced in Canada”: indicates it was processed or assembled here but may contain foreign materials.
- “100 per cent Canadian”: all of the ingredients, processing and labour used to make it is all Canadian or located in Canada.
See the Government of Canada's page on Made in Canada vs. Product of Canada.
Don't be misled by symbols
A maple leaf or Canadian flag on the packaging doesn’t always guarantee the product is Canadian. Always check the label for details on where it was made and where the ingredients come from.
Double-check when shopping online
When buying products online, take an extra moment to research the product’s origin. Look at the company’s website and confirm where the product is made and where its materials are sourced.
Pay with cash when possible
Did you know that when you pay with a credit card, stores pay a 2-3% fee to credit card companies? Paying with cash allows more of your money to stay with the retailer and support local businesses.
Check Canadian retailers carefully
Just because you’re shopping at a Canadian retailer doesn’t mean everything on the shelf is Canadian-made. Read labels and ask questions to make sure you’re supporting Canadian products.
What Other Labels Should I Look for?
The federal guidelines for food labelling also allow the following to indicate that an item is a product of Canada or is made in Canada.
Label variations may include:
- “Roasted and blended in Canada” to describe coffee since the coffee beans are always imported.
- “Distilled in Canada” to describe bottled water that was distilled in Canada.
- “Canned in Canada” to describe green beans that were canned in Canada.
- “Refined in Canada” to describe imported cane sugar which has been refined in Canada.
- “Processed in Canada” to describe a food which has been entirely processed in Canada.
- “Prepared in Canada” to describe a food which has been entirely prepared in Canada.
- “Packaged in Canada” to describe a food which is imported in bulk and packaged in Canada.
The Impact of Spending Locally
Buying locally helps the Canadian economy by keeping more money circulating within a community, which leads to increased employment opportunities, supports local businesses, and contributes to the overall economic vitality of the region, as local businesses tend to reinvest profits back into the community by hiring local staff and purchasing goods from other local businesses.
Key points about buying locally and its impact on the Canadian economy:
How We Are Responding
The City of Burlington will follow the lead set by the Federal and Provincial governments and be a municipal leader in prioritizing Canadian vendors and suppliers, where possible. The City is preparing to stand up for Canadian businesses.
May 20, Council approves Industrial Property Tax Payment Deferral Program:
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Burlington City Council approved a six-month, interest-free property tax deferral program for local industrial properties affected by ongoing U.S. tariffs.
The application-based program allows for qualified industrial property owners to request additional time to pay their property taxes without incurring late payment penalties or interest charges.
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Eligible property owners/applicants would have until Nov. 30, 2025 to pay remaining property taxes in full.
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Information regarding eligibility criteria and the application process is available on the City’s Rebates and Deferrals web page.
Feb. 6, The Mayoral Direction issues the following directions to staff:
- The Chief Financial Officer to prepare a report for the March 3, 2025, Committee of the Whole outlining ways the City could, where possible, prioritize Canadian vendors and suppliers in the event new tariffs are imposed on Canadian exports to the United States of America, including:
- Limiting contract renewals and new contracts to Canadian-only companies;
- Pausing procurement;
- Ensuring all new purchases of goods and services are from Canadian companies;
- Ending all conferences or trips to the U.S. other than for advocating for a removal of tariffs; and
- Reporting on costs and funding sources for any measure taken in response to tariffs.
- Staff to undertake research and provide advice to the head of Council on potential responses to the tariff threats, including attendance at Mayor’s Tariff Task Force meetings as required in a research and advisory capacity.
- The Head of Corporate Affairs to develop a “Buy Canadian” webpage where residents can find resources to make Buy Canadian decisions.
Jan. 31, City Council passed a Buy Canadian Resolution:
- Stand with Team Canada to persuade decision-makers that tariffs are not in the best interest of Canadian or American consumers and businesses.
- Endorse the federal and provincial call for Buy Canadian
- Call on the federal and provincial governments to work with municipalities on measures to protect Canadian consumers and businesses.
- Ask the federal and provincial governments to remove any impediments to municipalities preferring Canadian companies for capital projects and supplies. Be it further resolved that the City Clerk forward this resolution to the following organizations along with the request to endorse the same or similar:
- Association of Municipalities of Ontario
- Federation of Canadian Municipalities
- Ontario Big City Mayors Caucus
- Big City Mayors of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities
- Halton MPs
- Halton MPPs
- Halton Local Municipalities
The Government of Canada has a comprehensive plan to fight back against the unjustified U.S. tariffs imposed on Canadian goods while supporting Canada's interests, industries, and workers.
You can view the full response from the Government of Canada.
Tariffs are taxes on products that come from other countries. Just like you pay sales tax when you buy something, a tariff is an extra cost added to goods that are imported into Canada.
For example, if you’re buying a product from another country, you might have to pay a tariff. If you’re a business in Burlington selling products to other countries, your customers there may have to pay tariffs on what they buy from you.
Tariffs 101: What are tariffs and how do they impact international trade?
If you’re a business in Burlington selling products to other countries, tariffs can make your goods more expensive for your international customers. This could mean they buy less, look for cheaper alternatives, or pass on the extra cost to their own customers.
On the other hand, if you’re importing goods into Canada, tariffs could raise your costs, which might lead to higher prices for local consumers. This is why understanding tariffs is important—they can impact both businesses and families through changes in prices and demand.
How Do Tariffs Work and Why Are They Used?
Governments use tariffs for different reasons, often depending on economic or political goals:
Generating Revenue:
Just like income or sales taxes, tariffs provide governments with revenue. The money collected from tariffs helps fund public programs and services.
Protecting Local Businesses:
Sometimes, governments place tariffs on foreign goods to protect domestic industries. By making imported goods more expensive, local companies are given a better chance to compete. Tariffs can also discourage foreign companies from flooding the market with cheap surplus goods, which could hurt local businesses.
As a Diplomatic or Trade Tool:
Governments can use tariffs as a way to influence or respond to political situations by targeting both imports and exports. If two countries have disagreements over trade policies, environmental concerns, or human rights issues, one government may impose tariffs on goods coming into their country (imports) or on products being sold to the other country (exports).
By placing tariffs on imports, governments make foreign goods more expensive and less attractive to consumers, reducing the exporting country’s ability to sell its products. Tariffs on exports can make it more costly for businesses to sell key products abroad, limiting access to important markets. Both approaches aim to weaken the other country’s economy, encouraging them to negotiate or adjust their policies. This tool allows governments to apply economic pressure without completely cutting off trade.
Typically, it’s the buyers who pay for tariffs. When businesses import goods, they are responsible for paying the tariff and often pass those costs on to consumers by raising prices. It’s important to note that tariffs aren’t payments from one government to another. Instead, they are collected by the government imposing them, much like a tax on imported goods.
Why Is It Important to Understand Tariffs?
Knowing how tariffs work is important because they can affect more than just prices—they influence business decisions, supply chains, and even what products are available. If tariffs make goods more expensive, businesses might need to find new suppliers, adjust their prices, or rethink where they sell their products.
For businesses in Burlington, staying informed about tariffs can help them plan ahead, remain competitive, and avoid unexpected costs. The City of Burlington is committed to supporting local businesses as they adapt to any changes that may affect them.
Burlington community members have buying power – By supporting Canadian-made goods, we help protect local jobs, keep money circulating within our community, and reduce dependence on foreign suppliers. Understanding tariffs is key to making informed choices that benefit both residents and the broader Burlington economy.
