There are businesses everywhere. Some that are local to your community. Some that are from other countries. In Canada, most businesses from the USA infiltrate our business sector. Sharing a border and being so close means that American businesses are just as easy to shop from than local Canadian businesses. It can be difficult to distinguish which companies are Canadian. Supporting Canadian businesses is important to Canada’s economy and promotes growth and allows them to give back to the community. They are what fuels Canada’s prosperity as a country.

Greater support of Canadian businesses leads to increased employment opportunities. This means Canadians have more options when it comes to selecting a job. In addition, the company is able to provide better services for its customers and increased benefits for their employees. This is a win-win, as everyone can benefit from this. Furthermore, greater support allows for the Canadian company to support local initiatives and charities.

When purchasing from American retailers there are a multitude of factors that must be looked at other than the initial price. We’ve all been in a situation where products from an American retailer are “cheaper” than prices listed from Canadian retailers. One of the first things Canadians do is to convert the price from $USD to $CAD. The Canadian dollar has been of lower value in recent years, which makes the conversion from $USD to $CAD skyrocket. Additionally, the duties and taxes that must be paid for imported goods also can deter individuals from purchasing. This is because duties are often unexpected and the value can range quite high depending on how much the order is valued at. In addition, shipping costs are typically not free unless the order’s sum is a large dollar value as shipping would be classified as international. All in all, supporting American retailers to save a few dollars is counterproductive.

A 2017 Survey, conducted by RBC, concluded that 88% of Canadians would support a local business when possible and 57% stated they would pay more for an item or service that is provided by a local business. Please do your part and help Canada prosper!