Mayor Adrian Foster urges residents to buy Canadian as trade tensions with the U.S. escalate
With Prime Minister Justin Trudeau securing only a 30-day pause on proposed U.S. trade tariffs, the Municipality of Clarington is taking matters into its own hands by launching a Vendor Directory to help residents and businesses shop locally and support Canadian-made goods.
“Although it is increasingly apparent that predicting what the U.S. may or may not do is impossible, it’s abundantly clear we must encourage everyone in our community to shop locally,” Clarington Mayor Adrian Foster said in a statement.
Foster expressed frustration over the intimidation tactics coming from the U.S., calling them “unwarranted and disheartening.”
“Canada has consistently been a steadfast ally to the United States. The economies and energy requirements of our two nations have been intricately linked for decades. These tariffs would hurt workers on both sides of the border and significantly increase costs on numerous goods,” he added.
The newly launched Clarington Vendor Directory is designed to help:
- Municipal staff identify local businesses for projects, services, and goods.
- Residents find Canadian-made products and services through the Clarington Board of Trade and local Business Improvement Associations (BIAs).
- Businesses connect with procurement opportunities to keep spending within the community.
At Monday’s General Government Committee meeting, Clarington council directed staff to explore options to restrict the purchase of U.S. products and services by the municipality, a move aimed at reinforcing local economic resilience.
Foster emphasized that this initiative is about protecting and strengthening local businesses rather than reacting to political uncertainty.
“It’s about putting Canada first, to safeguard and support the businesses that are the backbone of our local economy and community,” he said.
In a nod to political slogans, he added:
“We must remember that Canada’s strength lies in supporting each other, upholding our values, and moving forward together. We don’t need to make Canada great again. We’re still great, eh?”
With trade tensions looming, Clarington hopes this initiative will encourage residents and businesses to buy local and invest in Canadian products and services, ensuring economic stability in challenging times.