'Elbows Up': Inside the Grassroots Canadian Boycott Targeting US Goods and Travel

TORONTO — Spurred by ongoing trade tensions, bilateral tariffs, and aggressive rhetoric from the U.S. administration, a widespread grassroots boycott is sweeping across Canada, with ordinary citizens radically altering their purchasing habits to exclude American-made goods and services.

What began as an immediate reaction to tariff impositions has morphed into an entrenched lifestyle shift for thousands of Canadians. From grocery aisles to corporate investments, citizens are enacting their own personal economic embargoes, swearing off everything from U.S. technology and streaming services to American petroleum, vehicles, and tourism.

"As soon as Trump started putting those tariffs on, I started boycotting US goods," said William McDonald, a 38-year-old diesel mechanic from Thunder Bay, Ontario. "Avoiding American products has driven my costs up, and I'm still happy to do it... Canadian is always the first choice."

Recent polling data underscores the depth of the movement, showing that a significant share of grocery shoppers are actively checking product origin labels before buying. Consumers report swapping out everyday items, restructuring travel plans to bypass U.S. carriers and airports, and clearing out American-made electronics in favor of alternative markets.

While many participants express sorrow over the souring of relations between longtime neighbors, the sentiment remains resolute. For many Canadians, the boycott has become a primary tool to signal resistance against perceived economic coercion and to defend national sovereignty.

"It can be pretty inconvenient to do the research and read labels, and often more costly," said Elizabeth, a retired teacher. "But this is the only tool ordinary people have to stand up for our values."