The City of Courtenay is looking to take a Team Canada approach when it comes to response to U.S. tariffs.
City Council have directed staff to prioritize the purchasing of Canadian-made goods and services where possible and wants residents and businesses to follow suit.
Mayor Bob Wells said they look forward to contributing to the movement in any way they can.
“We want to know if there are other ways the city could support this collective ‘buy local’ movement, so we’ve been making connections within the community and having some really productive conversations.”
The conversations included meetings with MPs, MLAs, and local leaders since the start of the tariff threats Wells added.
The city is engaging with local business organizations to support the movement and promote initiatives which support Canadian businesses and local employment.
The response was raised through a motion at the March 12 council meeting, with staff to report back on the impacts of prioritizing Canadian-made goods and services in current and upcoming municipal procurement and contracts.
Wells said when dollars get spent locally, more of the money then gets re-invested into the community.
“According to staff, the vast majority of the goods and services the city buys are Canadian, and many of these are local suppliers as well.”
