What does made in Canadian Made mean to you? To me it means that people who live in this country were the ones that manufactured, put together, grew or created the product. Over the years, the manufacturing industry has moved its operations to countries where production costs can be a fraction of what they are in a developed country like Canada. As a result, many goods are less expensive to us the consumer and the profit margins for the business are maximized.
There is a trend though in our country. Small businesses are creating products here that are easier and easier to find. Through word of mouth and with the amount of websites and social media accounts catering to the Made In Canada movement, it can all be found at the click of a mouse. The passion has created a community that is interested in supporting local businesses and keeping our dollar within our borders. This is why on this site, the businesses that are listed are Canadian owned. This way the dollar is more likely kept here.
It’s true that there are businesses that have to purchase ingredients or parts of their creation outside the country to build their products. This is not always avoidable, and is predominantly done for foods such as coffee, spice mixes some other items. Following are the categories in the directory that includes only Canadian owned and operated businesses who make their products at home.
Active Canadian Made Products
Something we don’t always consider when we think buy Canadian is about all the activities that we participate in. There are many Products such as games, puzzles musical instruments and outdoor activities that are made in Canada. We have many companies that build canoes, kayaks and other products for the water as well. There are even woodworking tools made in Canada.
Popular Sub-Categories:
- Children’s Activity Products
- Indoor Activities
- Musical Instruments
- Outdoor Products
- Water Activity Products
- Sports Products
Automotive Products
We have a very long history of auto manufacturing in Canada. Almost all of the largest dealers have had a plant in Ontario. With climate change and policy changes internationally, the auto industry has taken a hit. This is not the end though because the builders are taking on a new trend. Electric vehicles. Ontario will now open a plant that manufactures electric vehicle batteries which will keep us on the map and keep jobs here.
There are agricultural machines, trailers and recreational vehicles made here as well. We even have amphibious vehicles and a chuckwagon trailer made in Canada. Boats and boat covers are made by companies in Alberta, Ontario and other provinces where attention to detail is taken seriously.
We have many more auto products as well. Accessories like decals, Tarps and cleaning products are being made by smaller companies who have been around for along time. There are even car parts manufactured here which you can find in some of the dealers across the country.
Popular Sub-Categories:
- Amphibious Vehicles
- Auto Accessories
- Auto Floor Covering
- Decals
- Trailers
- Travel Trailers
- Travel Vans
Canadian Made Food
The food production industry includes almost everything you need to eat at home. And its getting better. According to a Business Development Bank report, our food industry is growing and expected to grow by 4.5% in 2022. That is amazing. I am thinking one of the reasons is that there are more Canadians wanting to support local and seeking home grown products.
We have a large supply of farmers across the country that bring us fruit and vegetables through different venues. Some provide U-Pick opportunities while others attend markets or sell their products right from their farm. There are products however that are not available in Canada and need to be purchased from other parts of the world. This generally includes (From The Canadian Health & Stroke Foundation): bananas, plantain, yuca, jicama, mangoes, papaya, durian, lychee, pineapple, jackfruit and rambutan due to our climate. There have been businesses in southern Ontario are attempting to grow some of these items in controlled environments such as commercial greenhouses.
According to Agriculture Canada, Our dairy industry includes over 10,000 dairy farms. I would say that we are very well supplied. If you are wanting to make sure you buy Canadian for dairy, many producers actually gave a blue label with a cow and a Canadian flag that you can find on the packaging that signifies it is a Canadian product.
You can also find every type of condiment that you could be looking for in this directory. Mustard, ketchup and honey are produced in numbers. We thought that there was only French’s mustard for Canada but you will be surprised to find out there are more than 10 companies that make it here. French’s is not included in this directory because it is no longer owned in Canada.
For the vegan visitors to the directory, we have that for you as well. There is also a gluten free category where you will find gluten free pasta, and other items that fit your diet. There are also many businesses who produce potato chips and other snacks for everyone including food sensitivity individuals.
Popular Sub-Categories:
- Baking Products
- Bread Products
- Breakfast Products
- Canned Foods
- Condiments
- Dairy
- Ingredients
- Snacks
- Gluten Free
- Meat, Fish & Poultry
Footwear
There are some brands that we know in the west coast and some that are likely more familiar on the east side of the country. In this category you will find boots, shoes, moccasins, and slippers for adults and children. There are even liners made by a sheep farm in Ontario.
Popular Sub-Categories:
Beverages
We definitely have no shortage of beverages made in Canada. Though some of the more common ones such as Canadian Springs have been sold to international companies, we still have soft drinks that are made here. Beer was first brewed here in 1646 and was generally made for home use. The first big consumption brewery in North America was Molson which was born in Canada. In 1984 the first brewery was opened which is said to have been the beginning of the current craft brewery trend.
Wineries are found across the country. Most liquor stores even have a section dedicated to Canadian wines. If you want any liquor there is that too. Everything from Gin to Vodka to Rum can be found in this directory. From small craft distillers to large well known producers. Most of them even have a tasting room.
The non alcoholic beverage industry includes soft drinks, smoothies and juice made by well known names like Sunrype. There are even a few energy drink companies in Canada. And of course there are many businesses who make coffee and tea which you can enjoy at their locations of find on your local store shelves.
Popular Sub-Categories:
Canadian made Business Products
Everything from desks to chairs to briefcases can be found in this section. Calendars, Banners and promotional products can be customized to fit the needs of any business. There are even products for infrastructure and health and safety items that we don’t normally think of when we want to buy local.
Popular Sub-Categories:
Canadian Made Gifts
There are so many items here that are made by Canadians it is amazing. You can find almost anything you can think of as a gift for pretty much any occasion. Toys, greeting cards, art and teddy bears are all here. To date there are over 300 businesses and creators that make everything either by hand or in a local shop. Many of the creators started their business as a hobby and through demand, began attending markets and then, you know the rest. We don’t need to leave the country to find something that your loved one will cherish.
Many of the businesses, some of which are in other directories also offer gift cards and baskets. Just click on gift cards to see how many there are.
Popular Sub-Categories:
Canadian Made Health & Fitness Products
Another category we don’t often consider when buying local is health and fitness. This category contains products such as antioxidants, ergonomic products and even survival kits. You will also find that in Canada we have a very large number of supplements made in labs across the country. Many of which you will be familiar with and may even have on your shelf at home.
Fitness products have been manufactured in Canada for a long time. Although there are not many who have survived the influx of imported items, they are still going strong. In this category you will find everything from large machinery to balance boards.
Popular Sub-Categories:
Canadian Made Home & Garden
Our home and garden industry is definitely full. In Canada we make everything from patio furniture to any type of furniture you might need for your home. If you are looking for tools for repair or renovation products like paint and roofing products, There are companies that make that too.
There are numerous furniture manufacturing businesses in Canada and like our food industry, the numbers are growing. There are large companies such as Monte and small builders who work at home in their workshop. You can find everything from outdoor patio furniture to murphy beds and sofas that are hand crafted by Canadians.
Every room of the house is covered in this section. There are some very well known brands like Purex which is still Canadian owned and Nature Clean which can be found on most grocery store shelves. Believe it or not there are over 750 businesses and over 200 categories in the directory that manufacture or produce products for your home and garden.
Popular Sub-Categories:
- Bathroom Products
- Bedroom Products
- Cleaning Products
- Electronics
- Kitchen Products
- Living Room Products
- Lighting
- Home Improvement
- Home Décor
- Garden Products
Clothing Made In Canada
The amount of businesses who create clothing here is enormous. For example, there are 113 businesses who create women’s clothing alone. And that is not even all of them. We have listed on this site, over 500 companies who produce clothing for all ages and genders. Everything from Accessories to Children’s clothing to sleepwear and swimwear. If you know someone who is getting married, there are wedding dresses made by designers from coast to coast.
Popular Sub-Categories:
- Accessories
- Children’s Products
- Swimwear
- Sleepwear
- Socks
- Women’s Clothing
- Men’s Clothing
- Jackets
- Wedding Dresses
Canadian Made Personal Care Products
Toothpaste, facial care products and even a category for men’s products are what you will find here. That’s only part of the section. The cosmetics industry is mostly thought of as being from other countries. We have 15 Canadian owned companies that I have found so far that make cosmetics here. The amount of products used for our every day personal care use is big. With over 150 businesses in over 21 categories, you should be able to find everything you need here.
Popular Sub-Categories:
Canadian Made Pet Products
Pet owners love their pets. As a pet owner myself, I can relate to wanting the best products for them. I also want their products to be made with the best quality. Many of the Canadian made pet products on this site are made by businesses that have been in the industry for years. These businesses care about your pets as much as you do. Here you will find over 140 businesses big and small with over 25 categories. This includes everything from food to pet toys to accessories for cats, dogs, birds and even fish.
Popular Sub-Categories:
Travel Products Made In Canada
Finding luggage made in Canada is a very difficult task. There was one that was great and built in Canada at first, but unfortunately it was eventually moved off shore for production like so many others. I did find a business that makes the traditional luggage products but it is not Canadian owned so I could not add it to the directory. There are products that can be used as luggage thought that is made by Canadian businesses. You will also find many luggage tags, passport covers and travel pouches here by companies that also make other products.
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One of the first things I hear from many of my friends, and that I see on social media is, if we buy Canadian we will pay more. Many will say buying Canadian is definitely worth it though because the products last longer. They are supporting the local economy. This is true, but it goes further than that. Even though the auto industry has been the largest manufacturing sector in the country, according to Canadian Manufacturing Coalition, in 2016, 30% of wealth in Canada could be traced back to the manufacturing industry. That may or may not even include the small businesses who grow, build and create products. That’s big. And it is only going to get bigger.
