Patriotism is surging ahead of Canada Day, and so are flag and flagpole sales
From coast to coast, flag and flagpole sales are booming ahead of Canada Day, thanks to a surge of patriotism fuelled by U.S. President Donald Trump's trade war and annexation threats.
'This is pretty unprecedented,' Brian Naish, co-owner of Flags Unlimited in Barrie, Ont., told CTVNews.ca. 'People are 'flagging up' all over: houses, cottages, buildings, businesses, boats, et cetera.'
Naish says flag sales are up about 75 per cent compared to 2024, while flagpole sales have increased by 35 per cent. Making more than a million flags per year, the company is Canada's largest flag manufacturer and has been in business for nearly 60 years. While they have seen sales surge in the past for events like Canada 150 celebrations and the Freedom Convoy protests, Naish says nothing compares to the current boom.
'It comes from a different place,' he said. 'I think the 'Trump bump' has brought out a latent sense of patriotism that has always existed in Canada, but may have needed a prod from an external force to get us to show our Canadian pride. It is nice to have something to unify around.'
The company has had to double its workforce and operate 19 hours a day to keep up with the increased demand. And it's not alone.
'A protest to this 51st state nonsense'
CTVNews.ca reached out to flag shops and manufacturers across the country, and they all said business has been surging since February, when Trump launched his trade war and first started talking openly about turning Canada into the 51st U.S. state. That month, Canada's former prime ministers also came together to ask Canadians to fly the red and white for flag day on Feb. 15.
Flag Shop Victoria president Paul Servos says in-store sales of Canadian flags were up 120 per cent in February alone, and have continued to be up by about 25 per cent each month since.
'It is not just flags but pole hardware for residential use that is up,' Servos said. 'This Canada Day should be the biggest and proudest for many years past and future.'
Sales are up on the other side of the country at Flag Emporium in Dartmouth, N.S., where commercial flagpole sales have also doubled.
'It is fantastic to see the country come together to be Canadian and not only fly our flag but stand behind it,' owner Bruce Clark told CTVNews.ca. 'Red and white, it's in our blood.'
The Royal Canadian Legion's Ottawa-based Poppy Store, which helps fund programs for veterans, says it has seen the biggest increase in Canada flag pin sales, which are up a whopping 988 per cent.
'We've had an explosion in sales of Canadian flags and Canadian-themed items this year over last. In fact, altogether sales of these products have way more than doubled,' Legion spokesperson Nujma Bond told CTVNews.ca. 'While we don't know all the reasons, based on comments from people purchasing products, it's probably safe to say that a good chunk of the increase is attributable to the current climate of renewed Canadian patriotism.'
The Flag Shop Winnipeg also reports sales of Canadian flags, flagpoles and Canada-themed products like hats and decals have all increased year-over-year.
'We have had many more individuals wanting to fly a Canadian flag for the first time, which is really amazing to see,' salesperson Samantha Hobson told CTVNews.ca. 'Some of our flags are sewn right here in our store, so our seamstresses have been working hard to keep up with demand!'
Based in London, Ont., New Century Flags owner Judy Spooner has seen Canadian flag sales skyrocket by about 1,000 per cent.
'Many people are now going to fly our flag as a protest to this 51st state nonsense,' Spooner told CTVNews.ca. 'They are attaching brackets to hold flagpoles to their homes, fences, decks and even permanent, in-ground flagpole sales have soared.'
With retail locations in Barrie and Thornton, Ont., The Flag Store has seen a 40 per cent increase in flag sales, and a 45 per cent increase in flagpole sales.
'We have had the usual Canada Day rush, but this year is much different. The sense of Canadian patriotism is very strong,' CEO Cecilia Burke told CTVNews.ca. 'We will not be a 51st state, and we are determined to pull together and show how patriotic we are of this great country.'
Several flag businesses also said many customers are happy to fly a Canadian flag again without being associated with the Freedom Convoy protests that rocked the country in early 2022.
'Many people in the shop recently have said, 'Thankfully we have taken our flag back,'' said Servos of Flag Shop Victoria.
'I think there are a lot of patriotic Canadians who, after the Freedom Convoy in 2022, didn't want to fly a flag because they may not have wanted to be associated with that cause,' said Naish of Flags Unlimited. 'This one is good because it's not dividing Canadians, if you will. It's rallying.'
'Very uncharacteristic of Canadians'
Raymond Blake is a history professor at the University of Regina. Blake, whose research focuses in part on Canadian nationalism and identity, says a Trump-fuelled increase in flag and flagpole sales indicates how Canadians feel about both themselves and the U.S.
'While the flag flying might be an increase in patriotism, it can also be a signal to others — especially the U.S. — that we are strong and ready to defend it,' Blake told CTVNews.ca. 'It is a warning to them: we are strong and free and want Trump to stop his nuisance and antics.'
Blake says this kind of overt flag-waving patriotism is rare in Canada, and perhaps comparable only to Canada's centennial in 1967 and the end of the Second World War. A recent survey showed that 79 per cent of Canadian respondents expressed some level of pride in being Canadian.
'But we need to remember that Canadians have always been patriotic, but in a subdued way,' Blake explained. 'There has been a steady and consistent pride in being Canadian, but during the past six months there has been little subtle about expressing our patriotism — it has been boisterous and loud, which is in many ways very uncharacteristic of Canadians.'
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