Vancouver shoppers weighing B.C. produce against tariffs, but not all can afford the premium
As Canada braces for a trade war with the U.S., Vancouver residents say they want to buy local — but availability and cost are real obstacles. Poll shows 65% support Canada's counter-tariff response.
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Update — August 25, 2026: Canada's counter-tariffs on U.S. goods take effect Sept. 8, with rates including 50 per cent on clothing and furniture, 25 per cent on seafood and appliances, and 15 per cent on electronics and tools. Retailers say shoppers will face higher prices in some categories or find American products removed from shelves entirely, as stores choose to drop product lines rather than pass full tariff costs to consumers.
As the U.S. tariff war escalates, Vancouver shoppers are grappling with a desire to support Canadian producers and the harsh reality of their grocery bills.
U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 50 per cent tariffs on roughly $20 billion in Canadian goods over the weekend after negotiations collapsed Friday. Prime Minister Mark Carney vowed to match them dollar for dollar starting September 8. An Angus Reid Institute poll released Saturday found 77 per cent of B.C. residents think Ottawa was right to walk away, and 65 per cent called the counter-tariffs "about right under the circumstances."
But resolve frays at the checkout. Interviews with six Vancouver shoppers at West End stores Monday reveal the math varies sharply depending on income and available selection. Britt Kirkpatrick, a West End nurse, said she chooses B.C. produce over cheaper American alternatives. "I'm willing to pay a little bit more if it's from Canada," she said, "and kind of, in our own way, fight back."
The produce aisle tells a different story. At the Davie Street Safeway and No Frills, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage and broccoli were mostly or entirely Canadian, flagged with Maple Leaf or "Buy B.C." tags. Fruit was a different matter. Apples this week came from the U.S. or New Zealand—none from Canada. Grapes, strawberries and raspberries were mostly American or from South Africa, Mexico and Peru. B.C. appeared mainly in cherries, blueberries and Okanagan stone fruit.
For some, price is the deciding factor. John Lord, a retiree on a fixed income, said "everything's going so high" since COVID. "You buy it, or you can't." Dylan Morim and his husband were on a tight budget before the tariffs and will stick with that calculus now, though he said he'll pick Canadian when prices are equal.
Safeway's labeling helps shoppers who want to read every tag. No Frills—where tighter budgets tend to land—offers less guidance, leaving shoppers to guess. Kirkpatrick noted that signs reminding her to buy Canadian "catches my eye and reminds me." Without that cue, resolve fades.
Daniel, a retiree who reads every label to buy Canadian, said he traces the habit to his grandmother, a Ukrainian immigrant who warned that leaning too hard on the Americans would cost Canada independence. "Here we are," he said. But even he can't find Canadian apples. He'll keep buying Canadian regardless, he said—the way he always has, long before Trump gave anyone a reason to.
How many grocery stores in Vancouver are labeling products with country-of-origin information, and is there a disparity between discount and full-service grocers?
What is the actual price premium for local produce versus imported alternatives, and how much would it add to an average household's weekly grocery bill?
We'll update this story as answers emerge.
The facts
When will Canada's counter-tariffs take effect?
Prime Minister Mark Carney vowed to match U.S. tariffs dollar for dollar starting September 8.
Which produce items were mostly Canadian at Vancouver stores?
At Davie Street Safeway and No Frills, potatoes, tomatoes, cabbage and broccoli were mostly or entirely Canadian, while B.C. produce appeared mainly in cherries, blueberries and Okanagan stone fruit.
