Canadian here, notice I dont say Albertan even though I have been in this province most of my life.

Of course I want to support Canada as much as I can. When I drive by Wal Mart I still see hundreds of Canadians flocking into an American company but I get it. To support the Canadian grocery stores around me, Save On, Loblaws, even CGY Co Op I have to pay 30+% more. I can't afford that luxury.

The question then is how did we get to this point where my Canadian stores cost so much more to support?

(The question is a bit rhetorical, I know the answer but if you have an opinion Id love to hear it.)

On average 52.9% of every dollar spent at a locally-owned independent business recirculates back into the local economy, versus just 13.6% at a chain — roughly a 4x difference.  The CFIB cites 66 cents of every dollar spent at a small, locally-owned business stays in the local economy, compared to 11 cents at a large multinational retailer and just 8 cents at an online giant.

These studies measured where the business sends its money afterward: payroll, local suppliers, local accountants and ad agencies, local charitable giving, local reinvestment. That's the mechanism ownership controls that manufacturing location doesn't.

The clearest illustration of why "made in Canada" alone doesn't capture that are the labeling rules themselves. Health Canada and the Competition Bureau's "Made in Canada" standard only requires 51–98% of direct production costs to be incurred domestically — it says nothing about who owns the company. For example: Lay's chips are made in Ontario, and carry a "Made in Canada" label — but it’s owner, PepsiCo, is an American multinational. The manufacturing footprint is genuinely Canadian; the profits, executive decisions, and reinvestment flow to New York.

There's a very current, concrete version of this gap playing out in federal policy now. An investigation by The Logic (July 2026) found that during the first six months of Ottawa's "Buy Canadian" federal procurement policy, more than 70% of awarded contracts went to subsidiaries of foreign-owned companies — because the policy's eligibility criteria are based on "operational presence in Canada" (employees, offices) rather than ownership. It's the same loophole as the Lay's example, just at government-contract scale: a company can have a Canadian footprint and still send its profits and strategic decision-making abroad.

Zooming out to the national numbers, Statistics Canada's most recent foreign-control release (2022) found foreign-controlled enterprises hold 14.7% of all business assets in Canada — about $2.5 trillion of $17 trillion.

Manufacturing location alone doesn't capture where the profits, reinvestment, and decision-making actually go — ownership does, and that's the harder-to-see layer most 'buy Canadian' shopping decisions miss.

Sources:

· The Local Multiplier Effect (AMIBA, citing Civic Economics)

· CFIB, "Small Business, Big Impact: Small Retailers' Local Contributions," Oct 2023

· 'Buy Canadian' Contracts Are Going to Foreign-Owned Firms More Than 70% of the Time (The Logic, via Hashtag Investing)

· 'Made in Canada' vs. 'Product of Canada' — What's the difference? (CBC)

· The Daily — Foreign control in the Canadian economy, 2022 (Statistics Canada)

· Buy Canadian, Read the Fine Print (The Icebreaker)

Hello everyone,

So what are today's option in terms of phone? I currently have a google Pixel 8. It's working great but the screen is partially dead (dropped a bottle on it which created a big black dot that I lived with for nearly a year, and now it's starting to make horizontal and vertical green and white line).

I normally would go for another Pixel, but 10-11 are crap and with what's going on, let's focus outside USA.

I don't like Samsung phone. I never had one that lasted a year or even 2.

Before my P8 and 6, I had a OnePlus 9 Pro. I did like the phone but it got tired very fast. What I mean by that is if I look at my Pixel 8 right now, it's nearly as good as day 1. Battery life if a bit worst which is normal (over 2 years) but the performance is still good. My OP9pro is just a mess, very slow, laggy and even with custom rom never got very far.

I do not play on my phone, I do have lot's of apps though, many for works. I do take photo and video with it (like everyone?).

What I did like about Pixel is the fact I still have updates and upgrade on my Pixel 8 to this day, and I get them fast. I remember with my Samsungs waiting multiple month after release of new OS, sometime nearly a year.

Long term support is a must. I don't change my phone just because. I would probably keep my Pixel 8 if the screen was in better shape (cost over 350$ to change, and a new battery would be good too).

So, what would be options today outside of whatever is available at Best Buy, Rogers and Telus?

Thank you!

Canadian here, notice I dont say Albertan even though I have been in this province most of my life.

Of course I want to support Canada as much as I can. When I drive by Wal Mart I still see hundreds of Canadians flocking into an American company but I get it. To support the Canadian grocery stores around me, Save On, Loblaws, even CGY Co Op I have to pay 30+% more. I can't afford that luxury.

The question then is how did we get to this point where my Canadian stores cost so much more to support?

(The question is a bit rhetorical, I know the answer but if you have an opinion Id love to hear it.)

That is all.

The cost of living is insane, as much as I'd rather be shopping at a local Canadian-owned grocery store, I can't afford it. I still do my best to check labels to buy Canadian brands over American ones, and have completely switched from using Uber to my area's new local ride sharing app.

I'm not that well-versed on the economy, but I want to do whatever I can, within my means, not to send money to America and to make this ridiculous trade war hurt.

What else can I do to help?

Nothing crazy, maybe just hold signs on busy street-corners reminding people to buy Canadian. Letters to businesses encouraging them to source Canadian where possible. Even letters to US businesses here, encouraging them to support pro-Canadian candidates in US elections and oppose anti-Canadian politicians there.

Super keeners might organize local groups to assist anyone caught out in the fallout from all this. Time to pull together.

This is a very "about time" purchase - but I think it's time to buy dash cams for the cars. Anyone have any Canadian options they've been particularly happy with?

https://www.reddit.com/r/BuyCanadian/s/IsF26eko4U

I am looking for a Canadian made leather bag similar to the above that can fit a 14 inch laptop that i can use for commuting to work. I have found many leather bags but nothing in fun colours. Purple would be amazing but open to other fun colours (just not black or brown) Thanks for your help! Price point would ideally be under $250 if possible.

Hoping to see more products and 100% Canadian loving businesses on display? I saw a post earlier about icecream and someone posted an info graphic of the best Canadian brands and an imposter brand! Can we start a mega thread of info graphic pictures so people have a more to reference??

Yesterday at the grocery store my small child was asking why I selected these apples instead of those apples. I explained in simple terms that the American leadership has been unkind to Canadians, so we aren’t supporting them. As I’m explaining this, a guy reaches past me to grab those apples. He definitely heard everything I said and willfully chose to buy the American apples. The price wasn’t even better. Wtf.