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Buying Canadian: How to know which products are produced in Canada

October 29, 2026   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

Many Canadians have responded to U.S. tariffs by choosing to purchase only Canadian-made products and food.

Buying only Canadian-made products would be very difficult depending on what you are looking for; however, consumers do have a lot of choices when it comes to food.

Proper labelling on products can help you determine which ones are made in Ontario or Canada and which ones may have some ingredients sourced from the US.

At the local level, it is fairly easy to tell which products are all Canadian. Many grocery stores will have a sign telling you that the corn they are selling comes from a farm right down the road from where you live.

There are many different labelling requirements that businesses must follow that can help consumers identify where a product is made as well as its origins.

• Product of Ontario means the primary ingredients are grown or raised in Ontario by farmers and producers.

• Made in Ontario means the product was crafted in the province. Some ingredients may come from outside of Ontario.

• Product of Canada means all or most ingredients are sourced within Canada and manufactured in the country.

• Made in Canada means the last substantial transformation of the product occurred in Canada.

The statement Made in Canada means the last substantial transformation of the product occurred in Canada. For example, the processing of cheese, dough, sauce, and other ingredients to create a pizza would be considered a substantial transformation.

When the ‘Made in Canada’ claim is used, it must also include a qualifying statement to indicate whether the food product is made in Canada from imported ingredients or a combination of imported and Canadian ingredients.

There is no official logo for ‘Made in Canada’ on food products, so look for qualifying statements.

These include:

• Made in Canada from domestic and imported ingredients.

• Made in Canada from 100% Canadian (ingredient name) and imported ingredients.

• Made in Canada from imported ingredients.

When the claim ‘100% Canadian’ is used on a label, this means all of the ingredients, processing, and labour used to make the food are Canadian.

By being informed of what different labels represent, you can choose products that meet your needs and stay within the purchasing guidelines you have decided for yourself. 

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