{
  "id": 9162791,
  "title": "New website helping shoppers buy Canadian",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/22/new-website-helping-shoppers-buy-canadian",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-22T14:37:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "CityNews",
    "slug": "citynews",
    "url": "https://toronto.citynews.ca/2026/09/22/buy-canadian-website/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Vancouver entrepreneur Tomáš Švec has launched an innovative website, trycanadian.ca, to assist Canadian shoppers in identifying and purchasing genuinely Canadian-made products. The platform addresses the rising sentiment among Canadians concerning the abundance of U.S. products flooding the market. Švec aimed to create a more comprehensive and user-friendly solution compared to existing websites by developing trycanadian.ca.\n\nThe website currently features a database of 600 to 700 US companies, which are matched with their Canadian counterparts. As the company behind trycanadian.ca, Švec invests considerable effort into researching company ownership, founding details, headquarters locations, and the production locations of the products. This meticulous research process results in a simplified presentation of relevant information to shoppers, which is essentially designed to make selecting Canadian-made products easier.\n\nDespite numerous apps already existing that purport to help shoppers buy Canadian-made products, they often encounter criticism for their inconsistent criteria. For instance, some apps consider only the product's manufacturing location, while others evaluate ownership, ingredients' sources, and the ultimate destination of the profits. This inconsistency confuses shoppers, making it difficult for them to make informed decisions.\n\nŠvec clarifies that his website is not intended to dictate what shoppers should buy, but rather to present the necessary information, allowing customers to make their own choices more easily. As an example, he cites a mustard seed product that claims to be 100% Canadian-made. However, a closer examination reveals that the label is misleading, with the producer being an American company.\n\nThe website, trycanadian.ca, operates on a donation basis, emphasizing the company's commitment to making the information accessible to everyone. According to Švec, the site remains free and will continue to remain free, ensuring that all Canadians have the same access to the information needed to make informed purchasing decisions.",
  "summary": "It's no secret Canadians have been trying to buy Canadian, given the rhetoric coming from our neighbours to the south. One website aims to help.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}