A new searchable database is making it easy for Canadians to shop local this season and support Canadian manufacturers.
For generations, Canadian manufacturers have designed, created, and assembled innovative products, such as cars, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals, technology, clothing, and more, right here, every day. Manufactured goods, parts, components, ingredients, and materials are what we sell to the world with pride.
It’s now more important than ever before to support local. Buying Canadian-made products supports Canadian companies and their workers. This helps grow the economy, feeding money back into the services we rely on as Canadians, like school, roads, and health care.
Rather than asking what’s made in Canada, the question has now become: why aren’t more things made in Canada? Consumers want to know what they can buy that’s made in Canada. For Ontario in particular, nearly 75% of Ontarians are looking to buy locally manufactured goods over imported ones.
Shopping Ontario Made has never been easier
In partnership with the Ontario government, Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters (CME) created the Ontario Made program — a free branding opportunity to promote the many world-class goods that are made across Ontario by helping consumers identify Ontario Made products, celebrate what is Ontario Made, and support the purchase of Ontario Made products.
Since the program’s inception in July, CME has worked tirelessly to spread the word about Ontario Made. To date, over 1,500 manufacturers have registered over 6,000 products. The program has had companies of all shapes and sizes register their products across a wide variety of industries — including beauty and personal care, clothing and accessories, construction and home renovations, food and beverage, health and medical, technology, and more — showcasing the diversity and depth of all different sectors of manufacturing.
Wanting to buy locally-produced goods is one thing — being able to find these products creates a new challenge. This is where Ontario Made’s searchable consumer database comes into play. The database allows consumers to search across different product categories, search using keywords to find any product type, and discover where to purchase these products.
Celebrating manufacturing from coast to coast to coast
Although focused on Ontario-made goods, the program is a celebration of Canadian manufacturing. As we’re stronger together, the Ontario Made program can be used as a model for other provinces to replicate and raise awareness of manufactured goods made in their own backyards.
Governments must begin to shift focus to expanding sales of Canadian-made products at home and abroad through a Made in Canada campaign. This Manufactured Right Here strategy shouldn’t be viewed as trade restrictive, but rather aimed at providing access to better information when making their purchasing decisions.
Canada has a tremendous opportunity to reshape our economic landscape and future prosperity over the coming months. It’s time for us to stand up and celebrate Canadian manufacturers and Canada Made products.
