Vaughan Strong: Supporting Canadian-made products

April 5, 2025 4:46 p.m.

Business

City News

The City is making it easy for shoppers to identify local products in stores

Do you own or operate a local business? If so, demonstrate your patriotism by clearly identifying Canadian-made products so customers can easily support the local economy!

As part of the City of Vaughan’s ongoing response to sweeping U.S. tariffs, we are now offering businesses free ‘Vaughan Strong. Support Canadian’ welcome packages filled with materials to help identify local and Canadian-made goods in stores, removing the guessing game for shoppers at the checkout counter.

Each welcome package includes:

one large sign to display at your store entrance.
10 large stickers to place on exterior windows.
20 tent cards to display at cash registers.
100 small display signs to place on product shelves.
1,000 stickers to place beside Canadian product labels.
1,000 individual product labels to affix on Canadian items.

To request a welcome package or additional copies of these materials, contact the Economic Development team at ed@vaughan.ca.

This new Vaughan Strong initiative follows Council’s approval of Mayor Steven Del Duca’s Member’s Resolution on March 25, calling for further support for local businesses as they respond to U.S. tariffs. On March 4, Vaughan became the first municipality in Ontario to ban U.S. suppliers after Mayor Del Duca and Members of Council took decisive action to protect the local, provincial and national economy by approving a new procurement strategy that prioritizes Canadian products, goods and services, and bans U.S. suppliers from competing on or being awarded municipal contracts.

To help local businesses and manufacturers navigate challenges related to the new tariffs, the City’s Economic Development department created the vaughanbusiness.ca/tariffs webpage – a one-stop information hub with supports and resources.

QUOTE

“As Mayor, I am committed to doing everything in my power to stand up for Vaughan businesses and safeguard our city’s economic future in the face of tariffs from the United States. We need to make it easier for our residents to know whether they are giving their money to Canadian businesses and supporting local. That’s why the City of Vaughan has created ‘Vaughan Strong. Support Canadian’ welcome packages for local stores and businesses to use to help identify products made in Canada and remove the guessing game at the checkout counter. Starting today, businesses can request these labels at vaughanbusiness.ca/VaughanStrong. I encourage you to plaster your businesses wall-to-wall with these red and white labels to show our Canadian pride! All options are on the table to ensure the safety and security of Vaughan’s economy, and to continue investing in our local businesses and industries to help protect our nation’s sovereignty under threat from the United States.”

- Mayor Steven Del Duca

QUICK FACTS

The Vaughan Strong initiative encourages local businesses to display custom labels on relevant products making it easier for shoppers to identify local and Canadian-made products.
On March 25, Vaughan Council approved Mayor Del Duca’s Member’s Resolution to further support and protect Vaughan, Ontario and Canadian businesses.
On March 4, Vaughan Council unanimously approved City staff’s procurement strategy to prioritize Canadian goods and services at a Special Council meeting. This strategy bans U.S. suppliers from bidding on municipal contracts. Vaughan was the first municipality in Ontario to ratify a policy that bans U.S. suppliers.
At the Feb. 5 Committee of the Whole (Working Session), Vaughan Council unanimously endorsed a Member’s Resolution from Mayor Del Duca directing City staff to develop a procurement strategy to prioritize supporting Canadian-owned businesses in the wake of then potential tariffs being imposed by the U.S.
The City’s Economic Development department is committed to helping local businesses navigate challenges brought on by the U.S. tariffs.