Tariffs have been a significant concern for many Canadians, and they have been a constant source of anxiety and worry across almost every industry imaginable, including the pet food industry. Many pet food brands originate from the United States, and many pets may rely on specific pet diets from the US, or are unaware of a Canadian alternative, or an alternative from another country that may not be involved with high tariffs / counter-tariffs. This reliance could lead to a substantial price increase for some customers who purchase and feed foods imported from the USA if these tariffs / counter-tariffs are implemented in less than 30 days from now. The past couple of months has emphasized the critical importance of supporting local businesses and shopping for products that are made right here in Canada. However, it may not be as straightforward as you might think, so here are some definitions to help break down and better understand the products you will encounter in stores.
Definitions
Product of Canada
A product can be claimed as ‘Product of Canada’ if these conditions are met:
- The last substantial transformation of the good occurred in Canada.
- All or virtually all (at least 98%) of the total direct costs of producing or manufacturing the good have been incurred in Canada.
You will see this term often on single ingredient products like apples and chicken. This is a difficult status to uphold.
Made in Canada
A product can be claimed as ‘Made in Canada’ if these conditions are met:
- The last substantial transformation of the good occurred in Canada.
- At least 51% of the total direct costs of producing or manufacturing the goods have been incurred in Canada.
- The “Made in Canada” representation is accompanied by an appropriate qualifying statement, such as “Made in Canada with Imported Parts” or “Made in Canada with Domestic and Imported Parts”. This could also include more specific information such as “Made in Canada with 60% Canadian Content and 40% Imported Content”.
Product of Quebec
A Product of Quebec is a manufactured product in respect of which at least 85% of the direct costs related to the purchase of inputs, including raw materials, their processing, and assembly are incurred in Quebec . Moreover, the last substantial transformation of the product must take place in Quebec . (Substantial transformation means a basic change, usually through a treatment or manufacturing process, in terms of function, character, or nature that gives the product its specific characteristics.)
Manufactured in Quebec
A product is said to be Manufactured in Quebec when the last substantial transformation of the product occurs in Quebec.
Ontario Made
Qualifying manufactured goods are those that have undergone their last substantial transformation in the province of Ontario. This does not necessarily mean these goods qualify for under “Made in Canada” labeling requirements as determined by the Competition Bureau of Canada.
Made in Alberta
Unprocessed products such as vegetables, fruits and eggs must be raised, grown, or sourced in Alberta, or processed food and beverage products may use ingredients from outside Alberta, as long as the final substantial transformation takes place in Alberta.
I am sure that there are other terms for other provinces, however, these are the only definitions that I could find that had a specific approval process.
What Do The Current Proposed Tariffs and Counter-Tariffs Mean?
A tariff is like a tax that can be charged in addition to duty and sales tax. The current list of tariffs to be imposed on US imports doesn’t include pet food specifically. However, this doesn’t mean the second list won’t include it. The current list does contain fresh meats and many ingredients used to make pet food. This means Canadian companies sourcing ingredients from the U.S. may face price increases when and if the counter-tariffs are implemented. It could also mean products or ingredients passing through the US into Canada could be subject to tariffs. It is a real threat to the food we need to feed ourselves and our pets.
What Can You Do?
As Canadians, it’s always worth thinking about what we buy and who we’re supporting along the way. With the threat of these large tariffs looming, considering purchasing Canadian-made products is one way to make a statement and reduce our dependence on other countries. This isn’t always as easy as it seems, sometimes you have to dig. I was in the Independent Grocery Store near my house a few days ago and needed some breadcrumbs. Everything on the top shelf was made in the USA and I searched for one made in Canada for a good 5 minutes and I finally found it on the bottom shelf, fully in stock and made by a small company in London, Ontario. This points to another fact, that large companies can pay to have their products on higher or eye-level shelves, and though not all of them are, a lot of the time they are American companies who have the money to spend on placements. You would think that in a Canadian chain grocery store, there would be Canadian options higher on the shelf and with easier access, but this is not the reality. Most times it’s a planogram set up by the owners of the chain and the owners and managers of the stores don’t always have a say in where the products are placed. Taking the time to search the store shelves and find those Canadian products helps support Canadian business.
Tail Blazers Stores
I am happy to announce that we don’t follow planogram layouts at Tail Blazers, and at head office, we don’t have a set agenda on where or how our stores should be placing their items. To add to that, we also allow our store owners to choose exactly what they want to carry on their shelves, as long as those products are approved by Head Office and meet the strict health standards we have set in place to keep your animals safe. Tail Blazers Franchise is 100% Canadian family-owned and all stores can purchase, move, and place items anywhere they see fit. Along with that, our stores have been given our private list that depicts Canadian-made products in each category so that they can help you find the best Canadian option for your pets.
Some Canadian products we carry can be found here and on our website, dog and cat products made by Canadian companies are depicted by a maple leaf next to the company name.
