SOUTH DUNDAS – With the implementation of a 25 per cent tariff by the US on goods made in Canada, and the resultant imposition of tariffs on US goods imported into Canada, many people are planning to make the effort to “buy Canadian.” There is a lot of confusion though, as to what some of the different designations mean, and these make it difficult to tell if what you are buying is what it claims to be.

What, for example, is the difference between made in Canada and product of Canada?

One thing that is good to understand is that there is no obligation for producers and providers to use either designation. The benefit to the producer, however, is clear, since research has revealed that approximately 80 per cent of Canadians are more likely to purchase a Canadian-made food product compared to an American product, all things being equal (price, quality, etc.) and that 45 per cent of Canadians try to buy made in Canada products whenever possible.

For non-food products, to qualify for “Made in Canada” certification, three conditions need to be met:

  • The last substantial transformation of the product must occur in Canada
  • At least 51% of the total direct costs of making the product were incurred in Canada
  • Any appropriate qualifying statements are on the Made in Canada claim, such as “Made in Canada with imported parts.”

Product of Canada, on the other hand, has only two requirements:

  • the last substantial transformation of the good happened in Canada
  • at least 98% (“virtually all”) of the total direct costs of production or manufacturing were in Canada.

For food product, “Product of Canada” requirements are like those for non-food products. Virtually all (98 per cent) of the ingredients, production, processing and labour come from Canada. In short, all the ingredients in the product must be Canadian in origin to be able to support the claim.

For food products, the claim “Made in Canada” has more obligations that non-food products if the claim is to be supported.

  • The last substantial transformation of the good happened in Canada
  • It is made in Canada from imported ingredients
  • It is made in Canada from a combination of domestic and imported ingredients

So, how do you find these products? Does it mean reading every label and looking for the designation, or perhaps search for a small maple leaf? It is actually simpler than that. You can find a lengthy list of products that are either a product of Canada or made in Canada at the website madeinca.ca. Currently there is a detailed grocery guide as well as a listing of 17 different categories, but that list continues to grow.

According to the website’s “About me,” page, the project was started in 2018 and at the present time is run by one person, and in their spare time. They rely on input from across the country from Canadians who know about a local business that are doing good work and providing a Canadian alternative.

Interestingly, while the website purports to be a one-person project completed in spare time, it presents a huge amount of statistical information and lists an address of 18 King St. East, suite 1400 in Toronto, Ontario M5C 1CA. A simple web search of this address reveals that this location, located in Toronto’s financial district advertises itself as “Canada’s Premier Coworking Space.”

Rather than detract from the value of the information the website provides, this would seem to indicate more diligence than a personal project might involve.

In any case, it is a good source of information, but other similar sources may develop in the coming months. Good research never restricts itself to one source, and as Canadians strive to work through this latest issue, the more sources they develop, their better their chances of finding a way will be.