Latest news with #LeeValley
Globe and Mail
09-05-2025
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Readers offer their picks for Buying Canadian
Rod Sheridan enjoys an evening lounging in his Toronto home, skimming the Lee Valley Tools 2025 product catalogue – or what his wife jokingly calls 'tool porn.' He's a loyal customer of the family-owned Canadian company that's been selling woodworking and home repair tools, gardening items, and kitchenware for more than 45 years. And he's one of many patriotic shoppers who are advocating for Canadian brands amid the current U.S.-Canada trade war. When The Globe launched its Buy Canadian Guide this winter, it received more than 300 reader recommendations for Canadian-made products, ranging from artisan pyjamas from Bowen Island to iceberg-infused skincare from Newfoundland. 'At a time when we're worrying about trade with unreliable partners and the economic costs of tariffs, Lee Valley actually [makes] products that enable you to [save],' Mr. Sheridan said. The Big Guide to Canadian Shopping The retired electrical technologist and woodworking enthusiast recalls the time he bought a try-square from Lee Valley made of rosewood with a brass insert. 'It was gorgeous,' he said while sitting in his living room, admiring the hardwood floors and the various furniture he's made over the years – all with supplies purchased from Lee Valley. Mr. Sheridan also points to the environmental benefits of buying quality-made Canadian goods. 'We're filling the landfill up with junk,' he said. 'My mom had one kettle during her lifetime [and] it's actually recyclable because it's stainless steel, so it could get smelted down, [not like] the $20 plastic one you buy at Walmart.' And when it comes to food, folks like Mr. Sheridan know how to make do with what they have. 'I probably never had a kiwi or an avocado until I was an adult,' he said. 'Apples survive the winter [so] we had apples since we could grow them.' Accessing quality produce year-round isn't an issue for Jennifer Panek however, who's been frequenting the Ottawa Farmers' Market since the threat of tariffs. 'I'm definitely trying to avoid U.S. products quite deliberately,' she said. 'I'm someone who's gone almost completely local for food.' Ms. Panek supports local producers whenever she can including artisan chocolate makers like Toronto-based ChocoSol whose fresh bean-to-bar products can be found in natural food stores and online, even through monthly subscriptions. Despite living in an urban area, there are items that are hard to source for Ms. Panek. 'Medium-grain rice seems to be all imported from the U.S. even at local Asian grocery stores,' she said. Vancouver resident Angela Tai has several suggestions for those looking for Asian-Canadian products. One of her beloved brands is Sunrise Soya Foods, a family-owned and operated business from Vancouver that makes a wide range of soy products, including desserts and beverages. With a goal 'to have tofu in every fridge in Canada,' its products are now readily available at major grocery stores. Opinion: Forget 'Buy Canadian.' 'Travel Canadian' is actually making a difference Businesses too are celebrating the 'Buy Canadian' movement and seeing an uptick in patriotic customers. Take for example, Canadian burger chain, A&W, with some of their 1,050 franchisees across the country changing their logo to 'Eh & W.' 'We're hearing from our guests that they're coming to A&W because we are a Canadian business and they want to support us,' the company said in an e-mail statement. The continuing economic uncertainty has amplified efforts by businesses to champion Canadian products. For instance, grocery retailer Save-On-Foods has displayed 'Product of Canada' and 'Made in Canada' signs on store shelves and added a 'Shop Canadian' page on their online platform. (Other grocery chains are using similar approaches.) The company which operates 187 Save-On-Foods locations across Western Canada, sources products from more than 2,000 local suppliers, and has seen a noticeable shift in customers choosing Canadian options first, according to Ben Harrack, senior vice-president for owner Pattison Food Group. 'We have definitely seen an increase in demand for Canadian products within our stores,' he said. Despite the proliferation of Buy Canadian branding, some consumers still struggle to find domestic products in certain categories. Cathy Farr of Guelph, Ont., has been disappointed to find out that most everyday items for her pets are imported from the U.S. 'Has this country fallen so far down that we have to import kitty litter? I'm pretty sure I could go and dig some sand out of the backyard,' she said. Writing letters to retailers and making the extra effort to source Canadian goods has become a hobby for the 75-year-old. She's managed to find one Canadian brand, Green Beaver that makes all-natural personal care products. Her favourites are their mint hand soap, citrus deodorant, and cinnamon toothpaste. Ms. Farr sees buying Canadian as a way of contributing to her community that she foresees being hit hard by auto tariffs. 'I wish I had the means to buy a steel plant, but the way I look at it is, if enough Canadians buy enough Canadian-made products, whether it's a tube of toothpaste or hand soap, then the owner of that company can maybe buy a new truck,' she said. For Mr. Sheridan, the tariff war is about consciously stopping purchases from U.S. companies too. '[Tariffs] are not things you take lightly,' he said. 'Once somebody shows you what they're like, believe them.'
Buzz Feed
04-03-2025
- Business
- Buzz Feed
23 Canadian Brands That Are So Elite, They Make American Versions Look Like Sad Participation Trophies
I'm sure you've heard the news: President Trump's tariffs are coming into effect today. Which, for us Canadians, primarily means that American goods are about to get a WHOLE lot more expensive. Although I love me some American chocolate, let's be honest: Canadian goods can be just as great, if not BETTER. And lucky for us, Reddit users recently shared their favourite made-in-Canada companies — so now it's time to spotlight some of them. 1. " Lee Valley, for tools and other things." — artofdrink "Their flagship tool brand Veritas Tools is excellent, and made in Canada. I hope that doesn't change. I don't mind spending extra for made in Canada if they preserve the quality." – qpv 3. " HAWKINS CHEEZIES!" — leetrain "American companies have tried to buy it, then tried to replicate it, but Hawkins is still the only good Cheezie." – BigComfyCouch4 4. "I try to go out of my way to ensure I'm getting Chapman's Ice Cream when I can." "It's hard not to want to support a company that makes doing the right thing just seem like the smart and obvious thing." — vafrow 5. " Home Hardware. It's been around 60 years, and all their dealers are members of your community. It is truly one of the last full-blown Canadian companies." "When you shop there, 100% of your business goes to employ someone in your community. They also give donations back to their respective communities." — RelationshipKind7695 6. " Kawartha Dairy, for their quality ice cream." — Babuiski 8. " Stanfield's underwear. Made in Truro, Nova Scotia." — GoldenDragonWind 9. " Canadian North, an 100% Inuit-owned airline. Serves many of the fly-in communities of the Northwest Territories and Nunavut." "Brings us our food and flies us to the south. Jointly owned by the Inuvialuit and Makivvik." — CBWeather 10. " Naked and Famous Denim, out of Montreal. The denim is woven in Japan, but the fabric is cut and sewn in Montreal. Never thought I would be the guy to pay more than $50 for a pair of jeans, but now I understand." "These jeans have been more comfortable and lasted longer than any of the mainstream brands I owned in the past." — UncleToyBox 11. " Paradigm and Anthem, for speakers and home audio." — Rich- Map7737 "I have four 30-year-old Paradigm speakers in my house. They are still driving my neighbours crazy with my music 🎼 😇." – CptDawg 14. "I really like Muttonhead Apparel. The majority of their clothes are made in Canada, and some are made in New York." "It costs a bit more but the quality is really good and the clothes last." — Historical_Score_573 15. "Some people don't realize this but A&W Canada is a completely separate and independent company from A&W America. A&W Canada is 100% Canadian-owned and operated." — Metal_Oak 17. " Rocky Mountain Soap Company, made in Canmore, Alberta. They have locations across many areas in Canada now. It's the only stuff to not make my skin have serious reactions." — ElderberryPast8054 18. " Covered Bridge Potato Chips, which is based in New Brunswick." — Fearless_Scratch7905 19. " This is J. They're based in Toronto. They sell the most comfortable articles of clothing I've worn in my entire life." — sleepyboi08 20. " Laiterie de Coaticook Ltée in Quebec. They make dairy products without additives." — Any-Board-6631 21. " DeSerres. Fine art supply company out of Montreal started in 1908-ish." "Mostly Quebec stores, but Halifax, Vancouver, Ottawa, and Toronto have them, too. They have some Canadian-made products (cheaper to manufacture elsewhere)." — lixdix68 22. " Buttercream Clothing! Everything is so soft, comfortable and they have a range from lazy wear to work wear (mostly women's, though my husband loves his tees and baseball tees from them)." "It's all handmade here in Alberta, and everything holds up so well. I don't hand-wash, but I do hang to dry. The leggings and sweaters I bought in 2020 are still doing great with minimal fade. They're also really nice folks." — plausibleturtle 23. "I discovered Lasclay this year. It's all made in Canada. They do lunch boxes, toque, scarfs, etc. — all insulated with milkweed." "My feet are always frozen in the winter, so I bought their insulated sole. It was a game-changer. 10 times would recommend." – BananeDionne
