According to new NerdWallet Canada data, more than 4 in 5 Canadians (85%) say they will adjust their spending in response to rising tariffs, most commonly by buying more Canadian-made products to avoid tariff-related price hikes (58%).
As Canadian Premiers convened to discuss trade tensions with the United States, the August 1 deadline for a new Canada-U.S. trade agreement looms. Many Canadians are already altering their shopping habits, fueled by the “Buy Canada” movement, which sees consumers increasingly opting for domestic products as a demonstration of self-sufficiency and economic resilience.
NerdWallet personal finance expert Shannon Terrell said in a company blog that Canadians aren’t just bracing for the impact of tariffs — “they’re making intentional shifts in how and where they spend. From switching to local products to cancelling U.S. subscriptions and rethinking cross-border travel, these changes reflect more than just cost-cutting.”
“At the heart of these adjustments lies a bigger question: Do Canadians fully understand the financial consequences of these values-driven behaviours?”
She said more than four in five Canadians (85%) say they will adjust their spending in response to rising tariffs, most commonly by buying more Canadian-made products to avoid tariff-related price hikes (58%), according to a recent survey conducted by The Harris Poll on behalf of NerdWallet Canada.Â
“The Buy Canadian movement has gained broad traction in the wake of U.S. pressure on Canada’s autonomy and economy, becoming a vehicle for asserting independence, signalling national pride, and redirecting purchasing power,” said Terrell.
“But will favouring Canadian goods actually save you money? . . . Canadian-imposed retaliatory tariffs mean you’ll pay more for American produce, dairy products, coffee, liquor, toiletries, furniture and more. Tariff-free Canadian alternatives may save you, but only on tariff costs.”
Terrell said subscription bloat can creep up on you, thanks to fees quietly buried in monthly charges. But Canadians say they’re looking closely at their subscription services and taking action.
“A subscription audit is a practical way to spot services you don’t regularly use and cut them from your budget. Canadians appear to be strategically pruning their American digital subscriptions, regardless of usage. Whether they’re switching to Canadian alternatives — and whether those swaps actually save money — is another matter entirely,” she said.
Research indicated over one in five Canadians (22%) are considering avoiding summer travel to the U.S. this year due to high costs or political tensions, added Terrell.
“And that sentiment is already reshaping travel patterns. In April 2025, the number of Canadians venturing south of the border by car dropped by over 35% from the same month in 2024, according to Statistics Canada,” she said.
“As more Canadians rethink travel below the border, interest in the Great Canadian Staycation is on the uptick. Searches for domestic accommodations in Canada are up nearly 20%, according to Airbnb’s 2025 Canadian Spring Travel Trends report.”
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I don’t buy American food products and haven’t done so in years. It gets tricky when it comes to digital subscriptions and electronics. There’s no Canadian equivalent to YouTube or Criterion. I have access to Crave through my cellular provider but never watch it because there’s nothing on that interests me.
I lean towards international news and academic subjects. For entertainment, I like foreign or art house movies or an old film of high quality.
I buy new clothes from a Japanese retailer but most of my wardrobe, furniture and household goods are secondhand items I’ve collected for decades. My cosmetics come from France. I eat at local restaurants, not chains. Vacations are visits with friends and family and I take the train or use public transport. There’s no Canadian equivalent to Apple and that’s where I buy electronics. And that about sums up where my disposable income goes. My spending hasn’t changed much because of tariffs, except that I’ve stopped buying from Amazon since they exited Quebec. That means I buy less because I haven’t the patience to runaround looking for things in local stores. I also borrow books from the library a bit more.