Toronto city council is pushing for a 'Buy Canadian' campaign to support local businesses amidst U.S. tariffs. While embracing the initiative, city manager Paul Johnson cautions against a complete ban on purchasing from the U.S., citing the complexity of procurement. The council also reaffirmed Toronto's opposition to Canada joining the United States.
As Toronto city council accelerates its plan to prioritize municipal spending on local products and services, Toronto city manager Paul Johnson cautions against a complete ban on purchasing goods or services from the United States. Paul Johnson, the city manager of Toronto , stated that his team is still determining the extent of the city's procurement contracts with U.S. entities but advises council against hasty decisions to sever them.
'To do that as a blanket statement would not be prudent for the City of Toronto,' he emphasized at Wednesday's council meeting, underscoring the complexity inherent in procurement matters. Toronto has enthusiastically embraced a national campaign to 'Buy Canadian' in response to the economic challenges posed by U.S. tariffs. Council members aspire for this enthusiasm to be echoed by Toronto businesses and residents alike. They unanimously passed a motion on Wednesday directing Johnson to develop a 'buy Canadian, buy local' campaign, encouraging city residents and businesses to invest their funds domestically.The motion incorporates an amendment, which also garnered unanimous approval, requesting the federal government to establish a recognizable label for all Canadian-made products. While presenting this amendment, Councillor Anthony Perruzza took a moment to express gratitude to U.S. President Donald Trump for inadvertently reigniting Toronto's 'Canadianismo.' These initiatives align with a plan unveiled by Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow earlier in the week, wherein she announced the city's intention to review its procurement policies and contracts to identify opportunities for reducing spending with U.S. companies. 'Toronto is ready to do its part' in addressing U.S. tariffs, Mayor Olivia Chow stated on Monday, flanked by members of her executive committee. Speaking on Wednesday, Johnson provided clarity on the city's actual expenditures on contracts with U.S. manufacturers and service providers. 'It's less than 10 percent of our procurement.'Council also responded on Wednesday to Trump's repeated threats and suggestions that Canada should become the 51st U.S. state. All councillors agreed that city council should 'affirm that Toronto, as Canada's largest city, opposes any proposal for Canada to join the United States of America' — a statement that will now be forwarded to all Toronto Members of Parliament. Trump's comments came during an Oval Office interaction where he was asked whether Canada could take any actions to potentially alleviate tariffs, similar to what happened with Mexico. He reiterated his desire for Canada to become the 51st state, just prior to a scheduled call with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.Kate McGillivray is a writer and newsreader based in Toronto. She has worked for the CBC in various cities across Canada, including Montreal, Sherbrooke, Whitehorse, St. John's, and Saskatoon. She actively encourages audience feedback and welcomes story ideas.
TORONTO CANADA BUY CANADIAN US TARIFFS CITY COUNCIL PROCUREMENT DONALD TRUMP OLIVIA CHOW
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