This as-told-to essay is based on conversations with Sarina Cornthwaite, a 35-year-old stay-at-home mom. She is based in Muskoka, Canada. Her words have been edited for length and clarity.
Since the Buy Canada movement started last year, I’ve seen so many more of my family and friends participate and become more conscious of where their money is going. But being a stay-at-home mom, of course, I’m on a budget.
Six years ago, we had just moved to a new town in Canada, and then four months later, the pandemic hit. I saw how many small businesses in our town had to close, and my husband and I started thinking, what can we do to try to support Canada through this?
I’ve always tried to thrift and be more conscious, but buying from Canadian businesses and Canadian products became a huge priority for my family, especially when so many imports were being shut down, and we weren’t sure what the full scale of things would be. We’ve prioritized buying Canadian ever since.
Some things are more expensive to buy locally, but I’ve found a way to balance our budget.
I budget much differently now
During the pandemic, I discovered that a few grocery stores near me were selling boxes of locally grown produce for around 30 to 40 Canadian dollars. These stores were typically out of my budget, but with this deal, I was able to buy local and try new things while staying within it.
My produce has become cheaper since switching to all-local, and I’ve subscribed my family to a weekly food box of all-local produce from Eat Local Muskoka, a neighborhood farm-to-table cooperative. We pay around CA$150 to CA$180 a month. It’s fresh, I never have to wonder where it’s coming from, and every week is a surprise for me, which is fun.
Getting these local produce boxes helped me look toward our local butchers for meat instead of just going to the grocery stores. Some of our local butchers offer meat boxes priced between $150 and $300, depending on size. One of those boxes keeps us going for about a month, depending on how much meat we need.
Our current food budget is roughly between CA$900 and CA$1,000 monthly for our family of three, up from the CA$600 to CA$700 I was paying a couple of years ago. Switching to local products definitely made me budget for things much differently.
We skip eating out for the most part now, and when we do, we prioritize restaurants that feature local food. We also allocate any additional funds in our grocery budget toward sourcing more high-quality local meat and seafood.
I try to buy around 95% Canadian, but there are exceptions
As much as I’d like to buy brand-new Canadian products all the time, I know it’s not feasible.
The biggest challenge is balancing my budget with Canadian-made pantry staples, especially things like flour and beans. Sometimes I’m just not willing to pay $10 or more for a barbecue sauce made in Canada when I can get something similar made somewhere else, as long as it’s not made in the States.
We shop at an Asian supermarket when we can and stock up on sauces like soy sauce and bulgogi sauce. They’re not made in Canada, but they’re not made in the States either.
For clothing, I want to make sure a brand is talking about where its warehouses are. I know the fabric might not be sourced in Canada, and that’s fine, but if they’re making the product here and being very transparent about that, that gives me a win for sure.
I try to budget for a trip to one of our local Canadian boutiques once a year to buy one fun new piece for myself or my husband. The way I help myself stay on budget is by focusing on buying secondhand for electronics and clothing. Even though most of ours may not have been made in Canada, they were purchased through local thrift or liquidation stores, supporting our local economy that way.
Read more on the US and Canada trade talks and how Canadians are responding
The Buy Canada movement has been inspiring
It’s been awesome to see more of my friends and family participate. A lot of my friends are other moms looking for the best deals, so we can share what we find.
Some of my friends now buy a quarter or a half of a cow from Ontario farmers and stock their freezer instead of going to the butcher. Some have gone as homegrown as possible, buying their flour locally and growing as many fruits and vegetables as they can themselves. They’re canning and preserving it to keep their households going.
I wasn’t surprised when the tariff stuff fell through last month, as it’s been a disaster for a while. Seeing the Buy Canada movement get kind of reignited has been inspiring. I’m on social media a lot, and so many people are looking for Canadian recommendations. On Facebook, people are reposting Canadian alternatives to many favorite brands.
I’ve discovered so many more new brands and companies coming out. I know the Canadian brands that are huge and well-known, but there are many smaller indie brands just starting out that are phenomenal. They’re getting their moment now.
Would you like to share your response to the US-Canadian tariff policy? If so, reach out to this reporter at aapplegate@businessinsider.com.
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