Happy New Year and they blinked!
With strong initial support from patriotic sentiment, the Buy Canadian movement saw strong consumer support. Many retailers were highlighting Canadian goods in stores, and some U.S. products were even pulled from shelves, resulting in some domestic products experiencing sales increases.
Most notably, the Buy Canadian campaign has transitioned from grassroots consumer interest to formal government policy. As of December 2025, Ottawa implemented a new Buy Canadian procurement policy prioritizing domestic suppliers in federal contracts and requiring Canadian-made materials in major projects, with full rollout by Spring 2026 and nearly $186 million in Budget 2025 funding to support it.
A recent result of the campaign that received strong media attention in December was a report that Jim Beam, the 230-year-old brand of bourbon whiskey was halting production at its main Kentucky plant for 2026 due to declining sales. In addition, an unrelated Ohio-based distillery that produces gin, vodka and a selection of rye whiskeys and bourbon filed for bankruptcy in December. Most reports identify a Canadian backlash against U.S. tariffs as the cause.
It’s obvious evidence that the Buy Canadian campaign works! Of course, considering the product, maybe it’s not something we want to brag about by hey, a win is a win!!