Canadians Weather Rising Prices to Back Mark Carney in Trade War With U.S.
VANCOUVER, British Columbia — As the trade war between the United States and Canada intensifies with compounding tariffs driving up the cost of everyday goods, Canadians are increasingly rallying behind Prime Minister Mark Carney, choosing to absorb higher prices rather than bow to American pressure.
Small business owners across the country are feeling the squeeze firsthand. In Metro Vancouver, auto repair shop owner Ken Zhang said the steady march of import duties over the past year has made balancing the books a daily headache.
Pointing to a set of brake rotors and pads, Zhang noted that an order quoted to a customer at roughly 500 Canadian dollars (about $365) came back from the distributor with an invoice exceeding 700 Canadian dollars. A recent shipment of synthetic motor oil jumped nearly 15%, driven higher by tariffs alongside soaring shipping costs and supply chain delays.
Despite the squeeze on his margins, Zhang has hesitated to pass the full burden onto drivers. “I know people are having a tough time,” Zhang said. “If vehicle maintenance gets too expensive, many people will simply skip regular servicing to save money.”
A Turning Point for Trade
While Zhang described the sudden unraveling of decades of close cross-border relations as baffling, he firmly backs Ottawa’s unyielding stance. “We cannot back down to the United States,” he said. “We have to grit our teeth and get through this difficult stretch.”
Other business leaders view the dispute as a catalyst for long-overdue structural reform. Zhang Bohao, an import-export entrepreneur, said the conflict is both a crisis and an opportunity to address Ottawa’s historical reliance on the U.S. market, which has traditionally absorbed roughly 75% of Canadian exports.
“Putting all your eggs in one basket was bound to create problems,” he said. “Canada has finally woken up and begun diversifying its trade.”
Carney reinforced that message during a nationwide address this week, calling on Canadians to defend the domestic economy through their day-to-day shopping habits. The most potent tool citizens possess, Carney argued, is choosing domestic goods and vacationing within Canada, emphasizing that the decisions shaping the economy happen “at the dinner table, not in the boardroom.”
Boycotts and Border Closures
Public opinion data suggests consumers are actively heeding the prime minister’s appeal. A poll conducted by Build Canada showed that 69% of respondents continue to buy domestic products even when they cost more. Another 57% said they had canceled or avoided travel to the U.S., while 55% stopped purchasing certain American consumer brands altogether.
For many residents near the international boundary, routine cross-border trips have ceased. Vancouver resident Yu Pinqi, whose child competed in a martial arts tournament in Seattle last weekend, skipped the family’s customary overnight sightseeing and shopping trip, opting instead to wake up at 5 a.m. to make the drive on the morning of the event.
“I simply want to avoid letting America make money off me,” Yu said.
Near the Peace Arch border crossing, Wang Liyun said she has abandoned her weekly trips south to buy cheaper groceries and fuel. “Even though gasoline is expensive in Canada, that is fine,” Wang said. “I can hang in there. I do not need to fill up in the States.”
The collective shift in consumer sentiment is already having measurable macroeconomic effects. An estimate by the Bank of Montreal (BMO) indicated that sustained buy-local behavior could redirect roughly 10 billion Canadian dollars ($7.3 billion) back into the domestic economy each year. An analysis by the Bank of Canada similarly confirmed that households have begun curtailing purchases of American food imports in favor of home-grown alternatives.
Despite the diplomatic friction, Carney noted that he maintains regular telephone communication with U.S. President Donald Trump, reiterating that Canada remains prepared to sit down and negotiate in a professional manner.