How to Buy Canadian in Toronto in 2026: What “Made in Canada” Really Means & Where to Shop Local

Buying Canadian has become much more than a slogan in 2026.

With renewed Canada-U.S. trade tensions, many Canadians are actively looking for Canadian-made products, Canadian-owned businesses and alternatives to imported goods.

A late-August 2026 Ipsos survey found that significant majorities of Canadians say they plan to make more of an effort to buy Canadian following the latest trade tensions.

And that interest is not just political.

Research released by the Business Development Bank of Canada in April 2026 found that 57% of Canadians are willing to pay more for Canadian-made goods, with consumers willing to accept an average premium of about 23%.

But there is a problem:

37% say it is difficult to identify Canadian-made products.

That confusion makes sense.

A Canadian flag on a package does not necessarily mean the product was made here.

A Canadian-owned company might manufacture overseas.

And a product assembled in Canada may contain mostly imported components.

So if you want more of your spending to support Canadian businesses and production, here is how to shop more deliberately in Toronto in 2026.

First: “Canadian company” and “Canadian-made product” are different things

This distinction matters.

You can buy from:

• a Canadian-owned company
• a Canadian retailer
• a product designed in Canada
• a product assembled in Canada
• a product Made in Canada
• a Product of Canada

Those are not interchangeable.

For example, a Toronto retailer might employ local workers and pay commercial rent in the city while selling products manufactured overseas.

That purchase can still support a local business.

But it does not automatically make the product Canadian-made.

Likewise, a Canadian brand can design products here while manufacturing them somewhere else.

There is nothing inherently wrong with that.

The important thing is understanding what you are actually choosing to support.

What does “Product of Canada” mean?

For non-food products, the Competition Bureau applies a particularly high threshold to a Product of Canada claim.

Generally:

• the product's last substantial transformation must have occurred in Canada, and
• at least 98% of the total direct costs of producing or manufacturing it must have been incurred in Canada

That makes Product of Canada the stronger of the two major Canadian-origin claims.

If your priority is finding products with the greatest Canadian production content, this is the label to pay particular attention to.

What does “Made in Canada” mean?

The threshold is lower.

For a non-food product to generally qualify for a Made in Canada claim under Competition Bureau guidance:

• the last substantial transformation must occur in Canada
• at least 51% of the direct production or manufacturing costs must be incurred in Canada
• the claim should include a qualifier such as “Made in Canada with imported parts” or “Made in Canada with domestic and imported parts.”

So Product of Canada is not the same as Made in Canada.

Both indicate meaningful Canadian production.

But Product of Canada generally indicates a much higher Canadian-cost threshold.

What about “Designed in Canada”?

That means exactly what it says.

The design work may have taken place here.

The actual manufacturing might not have.

The Competition Bureau specifically notes that companies can use narrower claims such as:

• Designed in Canada
• Assembled in Canada
• Sewn in Canada with imported fabric

as long as those statements accurately describe what took place.

These products may still support Canadian designers, headquarters, marketing staff and other jobs.

But consumers should not interpret “Designed in Canada” as “Made in Canada.”

Don't assume the maple leaf means Canadian-made

This is one of the easiest mistakes to make.

A package can use:

• red and white colours
• Canadian imagery
• mountains
• maple leaves
• Canadian-sounding brand names

without necessarily being made primarily in Canada.

The Competition Bureau specifically tells consumers not to assume a product is Canadian simply because it displays Canadian symbols or colours.

The Bureau considers the overall impression created by marketing when evaluating whether a Canadian-origin claim may be misleading.

So turn the package around.

Read the actual wording.

Why figuring this out is harder than it should be

BDC's 2026 consumer research highlights exactly this problem.

Only around two in five Canadians say it is easy to identify Canadian-made products, while more than a third say it is difficult.

Consumers reported issues such as:

• inconsistent labelling
• small print
• unclear country-of-origin information
• confusion over what counts as “Canadian”

That means even people who genuinely want to shop Canadian may give up because the information is not obvious.

And price still matters.

BDC found 66% of Canadians base most purchasing decisions primarily on price, even though a majority are willing to pay more for Canadian-made alternatives.

Buying Canadian therefore does not have to mean:

“Ignore the price and buy Canadian at any cost.”

A more realistic approach is:

compare price + quality + origin + how much of the purchase stays in the local economy.

So where can you actually shop local in Toronto?

Toronto has a much larger local-shopping ecosystem than many residents realize.

1. Toronto's public markets

According to the City, Toronto has more than 160 community-based public markets supporting more than 4,000 urban and rural entrepreneurs.

That ecosystem includes:

• farmers' markets
• craft markets
• vintage markets
• neighbourhood bazaars
• permanent markets
• specialty markets

Some familiar examples include:

• St. Lawrence Market
• Kensington Market
• neighbourhood farmers' markets
• seasonal craft markets

Public markets are particularly useful because customers can often speak directly with the person producing or selling the product.

That makes questions such as “Where was this made?” much easier to answer.

The City itself describes public markets as a way to give local independent businesses access to customers while strengthening regional supply chains and community economic activity.

2. Look for Toronto-designed products

Toronto has a substantial design economy.

The City's current Shop Toronto Design guide says Toronto has more than 24,000 designers, which it describes as the largest design workforce in Canada.

Businesses included in that City guide carry at least 50% locally designed products.

Locally designed does not automatically mean locally manufactured.

But if your goal includes supporting Toronto designers, independent retailers and local creative businesses, it is another useful signal.

3. Shop independent neighbourhood retailers

Toronto officially recognized July 2026 as Independent Retailer Month, citing the role local independent retailers play in employment, neighbourhood main streets and the city's economy.

Independent shopping areas exist across Toronto, including:

• Queen West
• Leslieville
• Roncesvalles
• The Junction
• Kensington Market
• Ossington
• Danforth
• Bloor West
• Little Portugal
• neighbourhood BIAs throughout the city

Again, an independent store can sell imported goods.

But spending at a Toronto-owned retailer can still support:

• local employees
• commercial neighbourhoods
• local landlords and suppliers
• Canadian business owners
• local tax activity

There are different ways for a purchase to be “local.”

4. Look for businesses that manufacture here

If your priority is specifically Canadian manufacturing, check what the business itself says about production.

One Toronto example is Province of Canada, which states that its products are made in Canada and currently operates stores on Queen Street East and Ossington Avenue.

That is just one example, not an AD18 ranking or endorsement.

The bigger lesson is to look beyond the brand's location and ask:

Where is the actual product made?

A company's About page, product page or label can often answer this.

5. Canadian-product directories can help

Several independent websites now catalogue Canadian products and companies.

For example, Made in CA maintains a searchable collection of Canadian companies and products across categories ranging from food and pet products to tools, clothing and home goods.

These databases can be useful starting points.

But they are still third-party directories.

If Canadian origin is important to you, verify the specific manufacturer's current claims rather than assuming every product sold by a Canadian company is produced domestically.

What should you check before buying?

You do not need to perform an investigation every time you buy toothpaste.

But for purchases where Canadian origin matters to you, use this quick checklist.

Check the exact wording

Look for:

• Product of Canada
• Made in Canada with domestic/imported parts
• Assembled in Canada
• Designed in Canada

Those phrases mean different things.

Find out who owns the company

If your priority is supporting Canadian ownership, check where the company is headquartered and who owns it.

Canadian ownership and Canadian manufacturing are separate questions.

You may care about both.

Check where the product is manufactured

Look at:

• packaging
• garment labels
• product pages
• FAQs
• company About pages

If the information is unclear, ask the company.

The Competition Bureau explicitly recommends that consumers contact manufacturers or retailers if they need clarification about origin claims.

Compare value, not just origin

Canadian-made does not automatically mean:

• cheaper
• better
• more durable
• more environmentally friendly

Those qualities still need to be evaluated individually.

BDC found quality and durability remain major purchase considerations for Canadian consumers alongside price and Canadian origin.

A product that lasts twice as long may be better value even if its upfront price is higher.

Buying local services counts too

The Buy Canadian conversation often focuses on physical products.

But services are a major part of the economy.

Choosing a Toronto-owned:

• accountant
• web designer
• mechanic
• contractor
• photographer
• cleaning company
• salon
• pet groomer
• restaurant
• repair shop

can keep a substantial portion of the transaction within the local economy even though there is no “Made in Canada” sticker involved.

For many small businesses, this may be one of the easiest forms of local spending.

Discover Toronto businesses through AD18

The AD18 Toronto Business Directory can help you discover independent and local businesses across the city.

• Shopping & Retail: Browse Toronto shopping and retail businesses →
• Restaurants & Food: Browse Toronto restaurants and food businesses →
• Home Services: Browse Toronto home-service businesses →
• Auto Services: Browse Toronto auto-service businesses →
• Beauty & Personal Care: Browse Toronto beauty and personal-care businesses →
• Professional Services: Browse Toronto professional services →
• Toronto Business Directory: Browse all Toronto businesses →

If you operate a Toronto business that is not currently listed, you can also add it to AD18.

Important: an AD18 Directory listing identifies a business operating in the market; it does not automatically mean that business is Canadian-owned or that every product it sells is made in Canada.

If origin matters to you, confirm it directly with the business.

You don't have to buy Canadian 100% of the time

For most households, that probably isn't realistic.

Canada does not manufacture every product consumers need.

Some Canadian alternatives cost more.

Some imported products may simply be better suited to a person's needs or budget.

And BDC's research makes clear that affordability remains the biggest purchasing consideration for many Canadians.

Supporting Canadian businesses does not have to become an all-or-nothing test.

It can mean:

• choosing Canadian when price and quality are competitive
• shopping at an independent Toronto retailer
• buying Ontario produce when available
• using a local service provider
• choosing a genuinely Canadian-made product when the difference matters to you
• discovering smaller Canadian brands you previously did not know existed

Those individual decisions add up.

The bottom line

Interest in buying Canadian is unusually strong in 2026.

BDC found that a majority of Canadians are willing to pay more for Canadian-made products, while current Ipsos research shows renewed trade tensions are pushing many Canadians to make an even greater effort to buy Canadian.

The bigger challenge is knowing what “Canadian” actually means.

Remember:

• Product of Canada generally carries the strongest Canadian-content threshold.
• Made in Canada still indicates substantial Canadian production but may include imported inputs.
• Designed in Canada tells you where the design happened, not necessarily where the product was manufactured.
• Buying from a Toronto independent business can support the local economy even if the product itself was produced elsewhere.

There is no single perfect definition of shopping local.

The most useful approach is simply to understand where your money is going — and make the choice deliberately.

This article provides general consumer information. Product-origin claims and labelling rules vary by product type, and food products can be subject to separate Canadian Food Inspection Agency rules. Information was reviewed August 31, 2026. Verify current product claims and business information before purchasing.