Financial Insights That Matter
TORONTO — Determining how Canadian a product is can be so much of a minefield that experts say anyone attempting to support homegrown options will need to do their research and prepare to make tough choices.
Figuring out an item’s origins is complicated because there is a vast array of confusing messaging companies use to portray items as Canadian when they may be made here with ingredients from elsewhere or made with some Canadian products but owned by an international parent company.
“It is extremely tricky and it is harder to buy Canadian than you may think,” said Mike von Massow, a University of Guelph professor and food economist.
He said Canadians looking to buy goods from the country to aid in the tariff feud with the U.S. that broke out over the weekend will have to make choices about how staunch they want to be and perhaps, even leave items off their shopping lists.
As they look to buy Canadian, he and other experts say people will realize many of their favourite U.S. products have no Canadian alternatives because players in the country aren’t making the product or can’t grow it right now or at all because of the climate.
“Think about fresh broccoli, as an example,” von Massow said. “This time of year, it’s much less likely to be Canadian broccoli…because we have a ton of snow.”
The same is true for lettuce and a whole host of other vegetables not generally grown in Canadian greenhouses in winter, along with items like oranges, which don’t originate from Canada because the country doesn’t have the weather to support them.
Canadians looking for such items may instead have to think less about buying Canadian and more about buying products that are made anywhere other than the U.S., von Massow said.
They could also consider buying their items based on what’s in season in Canada or what can be kept for a long period of time.
“We have some squash we bought directly from the farmer down in our basement because it stores very well,” he said.
Packaging clues
To get more information about where a product is from, he recommends looking at labels and signage in stores, but warns both can be deceiving.
Food items labelled as “made in Canada,” for example, can be made with ingredients from elsewhere as long as “the last substantial transformation of the product” occurred in Canada, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency says.
For example, processing of cheese, dough, sauce and other ingredients to create a pizza would be considered a substantial transformation.
#1a73e8;">Boost Your Financial Knowledge and Achieve Stability
Discover a growing online community dedicated to delivering financial news, tips, and strategies designed to help you manage money effectively, save smarter, and grow your investments with confidence.
#1a73e8;">Top Financial Tips for Saving and Investing
- Personal Finance Management: Master the art of budgeting, expense tracking, and building a strong financial foundation.
- Investment Opportunities: Stay updated on market trends, learn about stocks, and explore secure ways to grow your wealth.
- Expert Money-Saving Advice: Access proven techniques to reduce expenses and maximize your financial potential.