By imposing 50 per cent tariffs on Canadian steel and aluminum imports to the U.S., and 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian car and truck imports, the U.S. government has raised economic anxiety among Canadians to levels not seen since the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Threats and speculation regarding Canada’s becoming the 51st state have only added fuel to the fire. Never ones to back down from a fight, Canadians from coast to coast to coast are standing tall with their “elbows up,” doing everything in their power to support the Canadian economy.
As individuals, it’s hard to imagine how we can effect meaningful change in the complex world of global economics and international trade, but choosing to buy Canadian products and services is something we can all do to make an impact. Whether that happens in person at the grocery store or the hardware store, or online at one of the tens of thousands of Canadian e-commerce sites with a .CA domain, every purchase makes a difference when you’re a nation of 41 million strong. You’re contributing to Canada’s GDP, helping create jobs, improving Canada’s productivity, reducing your carbon footprint and making our communities stronger.
Our willingness as Canadians to support local businesses with our online shopping choices is evident in CIRA’s 2025 Canadian Internet Trends research. Overall, Canadians are enthusiastic online shoppers, with 86 per cent of us saying we’ve made a purchase online in the last year. Almost two thirds of us (64 per cent) say we prefer making online purchases from Canadian retailers when we have a choice, rather than U.S. e-commerce giants like Amazon.
Not surprisingly, when we’re asked why we support Canadian businesses online, it’s the economy. Over half of us (54 per cent) cite benefitting the Canadian economy and supporting local businesses as the main reasons for our retail patriotism. Despite the rhetoric and policy decisions of our southern neighbours, the evidence suggests that buying Canadian is something we’re already wired to do, with just 22 per cent of us mentioning either the new U.S. administration or tariffs as a primary reason for spending our online shopping dollars on Canadian products purchased from Canadian retail sites.
Cost is still the most important factor when we’re shopping online, with 62 per cent of Canadians choosing it as the top reason they shop local. This is followed by the availability of the products we want (54 per cent) and how easy it is to make the purchase (52 per cent). Convenience is also a key motivator for Canadians shopping online from “click-and-mortar” stores, with 75 per cent saying they prefer to have their purchases delivered to their homes rather than picking them up at the store. Websites are vitally important for Canadian shoppers, too. Almost two thirds of us (64 per cent) prefer shopping at a store that has a website, while just over a third (35 per cent) go even further, saying they don’t trust businesses or other organizations that don’t have a website.
The .CA domain is the only domain name online that represents Canada, so it’s a label e-commerce companies can choose when they want to show their Canadian connection and appeal to Canadians who prefer to shop local. Those two letters—CA—tell potential customers that the site they’re visiting has a connection to Canada, is safe and secure and even gives back to Canada through CIRA’s Net Good initiative, which uses a portion of .CA domain sales to fund community-based projects across Canada, all contributing to CIRA’s mission of building a better internet in Canada.
Jackie is the Director of Marketing and Strategy for the .CA team at CIRA. She has more than 15 years of experience in marketing, media and communications, with a special focus in the tech sector. Jackie is passionate about sharing the value of .CA domains and building marketing plans that help .CA connect with small and medium-sized businesses across Canada.
