LOCAL

Why Canadians Are Willing to Pay More and Give Up US Travel in Growing Consumer Boycott

Canadians are boycotting US goods, tech, and travel in response to tariffs and trade tensions, shifting to local alternatives despite rising costs.

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2 weeks ago

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Citizens Absorb Higher Costs to Support Domestic Alternatives

Everyday spending habits across Canada are undergoing a significant shift as citizens actively avoid American products, tech platforms, and travel. A recent callout by the Guardian drew over 3,500 responses detailing how individuals are altering their daily routines in response to political and economic tensions with the US.

For some, the decision comes with direct financial trade-offs. William McDonald, a 38-year-old diesel mechanic in Thunder Bay, Ontario, noted that choosing domestic options over US goods has pushed his weekly expenses higher. “As soon as Trump started putting those tariffs on in February [last year], I started boycotting US goods,” he said. “Avoiding American products has driven my costs up, and I’m still happy to do it.” McDonald estimated spending an extra C$1,000 (£531/US$720) annually by switching to Canadian beer, alongside roughly C$50 more per week on groceries. Describing Donald Trump’s posture toward Canada, McDonald likened it to “a lot like the schoolyard bully yelling and stomping their feet when they don’t get the cowering reaction they expect.”

Escalating Trade Standoff and Cultural Terms

The consumer shifts follow a sharp breakdown in bilateral relations. After trade negotiations collapsed last weekend, the US enacted 50% tariffs on US$20bn (£15bn) worth of Canadian goods. In response, Prime Minister Mark Carney pledged to match the measures “dollar for dollar.” Donald Trump subsequently directed the US federal government on Thursday to rename Lake Ontario to Lake America.

In response to these developments, movements using the acronyms ABUS (Anything but US) and ABUSA (Anywhere but USA) have spread alongside the hockey-derived slogan “Elbows Up!”. Winnipeg resident Denise highlighted the depth of public feeling: “‘Elbows up’ is a real thing. We don’t fly US airlines, we stay in locally owned hotels, we won’t even connect in a US airport … we’ve moved investments to Canadian companies, and we actively avoid USA products, produce and groceries.” She acknowledged that while checking labels and divesting can be inconvenient and costly, “BDS [boycott, divestment, sanction] is the only tool ordinary people have to stand up for our values.”

Changes to Groceries, Technology, and Travel

Boycotters are targeting a wide array of everyday items. Consumers are replacing US produce with options from nations such as Mexico, Chile, Peru, Guatemala, and South Africa. Elizabeth Lorenz, 68, a retired teacher in Nanaimo, British Columbia, explained that she reads packaged food labels carefully to avoid American items like Annie’s Pasta, even planting sweet potatoes in her garden because available store inventory originates in the US. “Although this means the transportation of this produce has contributed to more environmental degradation than if I were to buy American produce, my outrage at America’s greed and corruption trumps (apologies for the pun) my environmental concerns,” Lorenz said.

Others have completely altered their household technology and travel habits. James Buchan, 36, an IT worker in Halifax, Nova Scotia, replaced his Apple hardware, abandoned major social media platforms, and switched to European email and calendar services. Buchan also swapped out household brands from Procter & Gamble and Colgate for Quebec manufacturers Attitude and Lavo. “Tech was the easiest – I do not miss my iPhone or Mac at all,” Buchan noted.

Travel pattern alterations are similarly widespread. Jane, a 54-year-old teacher from Camlachie, Ontario, stopped taking short trips across the border to Detroit for concerts, gas, and groceries, choosing instead to drive four hours to Toronto or vacation in Europe, Mexico, and the Dominican Republic. Using apps like CanMade, Buy Beaver, and O SCANada to identify alternatives to brands like Heinz and Charmin, she remarked, “The relationship, in my eyes, has been permanently tarnished.”

Long-Term Economic and Social Implications

The boycott extends into luxury and recreational goods as well. Kurt, a 61-year-old retired engineer in Calgary, Alberta, reported that his whiskey-tasting group cut its annual US$10,000 spend on American whiskies to “US$0.00” since “Liberation Day” and the initial tariff announcements, discovering high-quality local alternatives instead.

While many participants express sadness over strained ties with neighboring communities, many view the situation as an irreversible turning point. Toronto finance worker Vikram, 51, who has ceased US travel and Amazon purchases, stated, “We cannot go back to looking at our relationship with the US as it was before, because things have changed.” Reflecting on the national sentiment, McDonald added: “After years of internal division in our country, it’s nice to finally see something bind us together again. I guess sometimes it just takes a mutual enemy to find one’s resolve.”

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COMMUNITY

How You Can Watch and Question Kamloops Candidates Ahead of the October Election

Watch Kamloops mayoral and council candidates answer questions in livestreamed election forums on Sept. 23, followed by a Sept. 24 in-person event.

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7 hours ago

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September 12, 2026

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Full Day of Virtual Candidate Panels Scheduled

Kamloops residents will be able to evaluate local election candidates on Wednesday, Sept. 23, during an extensive lineup of virtual sessions. The upcoming event is jointly hosted by Castanet Kamloops and the Kamloops & District Chamber of Commerce.

The programming opens with three separate councillor discussions running from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m., noon to 2 p.m., and 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Following these, the mayoral candidates will participate in a dedicated forum scheduled from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Standardized Questions and Viewing Access

To ensure direct comparisons between contenders running for the same seat, each participant will respond to a uniform set of inquiries. Organizers are gathering these questions from event sponsors, community partners, the Chamber, Castanet, and local voters.

Although members of the public cannot attend in person, organizers are looking into possibilities for local public viewing parties. The sessions will be broadcast live on Castanet, with digital recordings remaining accessible online until voting day on Oct. 17.

“Local elections shape decisions that affect every business in this city, from housing to infrastructure to how we grow,” said Acacia Pangilinan, executive director of the Chamber. “These forums give candidates a real opportunity to speak to those issues, and give our members and the broader community a clear way to hear from everyone running for mayor and council before they vote.”

In-Person Senior-Focused Event Planned

A separate, free public forum will take place the following day on Thursday, Sept. 24. Hosted by incumbent councillor Nancy Bepple, this in-person event is scheduled from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at the Mount Paul Community Food Centre, located at 140 Laburnum St.

This second session invites attendees to pose questions directly to candidates regarding matters affecting seniors along with the wider community.

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LOCAL

What to Know as Final Municipal Candidate Lists Take Shape Across the Region

Six mayoral candidates emerge in Kamloops as candidate lists take shape across the region ahead of the upcoming October 17 municipal elections.

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13 hours ago

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September 12, 2026

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Six-Way Mayoral Race Highlighted in Kamloops

Voters in Kamloops will select from six candidates for mayor in next month’s municipal election following Friday’s 4:00 p.m. application deadline. Incumbent Reid Hamer-Jackson is seeking re-election against current councillor Mike O’Reilly alongside former councillors Nelly Dever and Ray Dhaliwal. Two late additions to the ballot, design contractor Ivory Winston and social worker Kris Middleton, were revealed after the deadline passed. A total of 29 individuals are vying for council seats, including seven incumbents.

Contested Races and Acclamations Across Surrounding Municipalities

Competitions for mayor are set across several neighbouring communities. In Merritt, mayor Mike Goetz faces challenger Gordon Keyser, while all six incumbent councillors and two new contenders are seeking office. Former Cache Creek mayor John Ranta reversed a previous decision to step down and joins Annette Pittman and Wendy Coomber on the ballot. Incumbent Barbara Roden will compete against Eric Poole in Ashcroft, while Williams Lake mayor Surinderpal Rathor faces former mayor Walt Cobb. In 100 Mile House, Maureen Pinkney is challenged by David Jurek, and Lytton mayor Denise O’Connor faces councillor Jennifer Thoss.

In Clearwater, councillor Shelley Sim is challenging incumbent mayor Merlin Blackwell while simultaneously running for a seat on the Kamloops-Thompson School District Board of Education. Several communities will not hold mayoral elections due to acclamations, including Barriere with Rob Kerslake, Logan Lake with Robin Smith, and Clinton with Roland Stanke. Race car driver Jason White is the sole mayoral candidate in Sun Peaks, as incumbent Rob O’Toole is running for a council seat instead.

Regional District and School Board Elections

Voters in the Thompson-Nicola Regional District will cast ballots in just two of ten electoral areas. Area ‘E’ features incumbent Jim Smith against former director Sally Watson, and Area ‘I’ pits incumbent Tricia Thorpe against former director Steven Rice. Meanwhile, 16 candidates, including five incumbents, are competing for five Kamloops seats on the Kamloops-Thompson School District Board of Education. Rural school board races include Shelley Sim against TNRD director Lee Onslow in the Clearwater area, and incumbent Cara McKelvey against Marie McGivern in Logan Lake. Local officials may update candidate lists as packages are finalized ahead of the October 17 election.

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COMMUNITY

New Agreement to Bring Forestry Jobs and Management to Osoyoos Indian Band

The Osoyoos Indian Band and Gorman Group partner through Similkameen Forest Products Ltd. to manage TFL 59, bringing jobs and local planning to the OIB.

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13 hours ago

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September 12, 2026

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Direct Role in Planning TFL 59

A new partnership between the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) and the Gorman Group, signed via Similkameen Forest Products Ltd., ensures the OIB will participate directly in managing Tree Farm Licence 59. Located in the band’s traditional territory east of Oliver, the forest licence area will now involve early-stage planning by Nk’Mip Forestry LLP, the OIB’s forestry company.

Community Benefits and Local Economic Impact

The joint arrangement focuses on keeping local forestry benefits within the community. “This partnership will help create more jobs, specific training opportunities, and longer-term revenue for the Osoyoos Indian Band and our people,” said OIB Chief Clarence Louie. He added that the agreement enables the OIB to build skills and experience for future responsibilities while strengthening its position in the local forest economy.

Balancing Cultural Priorities and Industrial Supply

Nk’Mip will collaborate with Similkameen Forest Products Ltd. to plan proposed harvest sites. Their work will incorporate considerations for wildlife habitat, forest health, water quality, wildfire resilience, and sites of cultural or traditional importance. Norm Druck, South Zone Woodlands Manager for the Gorman Group, emphasized the area’s dual significance, noting that this portion of land represents the cultural heartland of the band—supporting traditional medicines, food, jobs, and spiritual well-being—while also supplying timber for the Gorman Group’s regional manufacturing facilities.

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