Tariffs will encourage more Made in Canada buying, says CollingwoodThe town of Collingwood held a special last week and passed a motion to, wherever possible, buy Canadian. This mandate will come into effect if and when the US tariffs are imposed by the Trump administration, which appear to be inevitable.
NAFTA-restrictions no more
The North American Free-Trade Agreement, which went into effect on January 1st, 1994, was meant to simplify and encourage trade between the Canada, the US and Mexico - breaking down barriers that would otherwise hamper buying from our North American neighbours and selling to them. Along with that agreement was the understanding that there would be no explicit preference made to buy from national producers or suppliers and to treat all interested providers as equal. As both Canada and Mexico ready themselves for the 30-day stay to end and for tariffs to likely be affected by the US, it's highlighting the need to support Canadian-made.
Sacrifice short-term convenience
A few weeks ago we wrote about how common it was for towns, like our very own Wasaga, to buy from Amazon - mostly due to the convenience of having goods delivered to our doors, free of charge. With the threat of tariffs looming, these convenient products are likely to become ~25% more expensive; that increased cost may be enough to remind everyone that there are local or Canadian-made alternatives that we would have otherwise not considered. Yes, we may not have the same free shipping or 1-day delivery guarantees, but supporting the stores, producers and retailers that form the basis of our economy will bolster the long-term resilience of Canada as a whole.
The town of Collingwood is leading by example - or at least it's planning to do so. Along with its new policy, set to go into effect with the US tariffs being applied, the town will actively encourage residents to do the same: explore options from Canadian-made shops. No one likes change, especially when it comes with the pain of less convenience, but if we don't support one another, then we may end-up paying much more than the 25% surcharge the tariffs will bring.
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The town of Collingwood held a special last week and passed a motion to, wherever possible, buy Canadian. This mandate will come into effect if and when the US tariffs are imposed by the Trump administration, which appear to be inevitable.
NAFTA-restrictions no more
The North American Free-Trade Agreement, which went into effect on January 1st, 1994, was meant to simplify and encourage trade between the Canada, the US and Mexico - breaking down barriers that would otherwise hamper buying from our North American neighbours and selling to them. Along with that agreement was the understanding that there would be no explicit preference made to buy from national producers or suppliers and to treat all interested providers as equal. As both Canada and Mexico ready themselves for the 30-day stay to end and for tariffs to likely be affected by the US, it's highlighting the need to support Canadian-made.
Sacrifice short-term convenience
A few weeks ago we wrote about how common it was for towns, like our very own Wasaga, to buy from Amazon - mostly due to the convenience of having goods delivered to our doors, free of charge. With the threat of tariffs looming, these convenient products are likely to become ~25% more expensive; that increased cost may be enough to remind everyone that there are local or Canadian-made alternatives that we would have otherwise not considered. Yes, we may not have the same free shipping or 1-day delivery guarantees, but supporting the stores, producers and retailers that form the basis of our economy will bolster the long-term resilience of Canada as a whole.
The town of Collingwood is leading by example - or at least it's planning to do so. Along with its new policy, set to go into effect with the US tariffs being applied, the town will actively encourage residents to do the same: explore options from Canadian-made shops. No one likes change, especially when it comes with the pain of less convenience, but if we don't support one another, then we may end-up paying much more than the 25% surcharge the tariffs will bring.