Together we can build a community that’s both locally rooted and nationally strong

On this page, you’ll find a quick-start guide to support our homegrown and Canadian economy. Whether you’re discovering new local Yonge and St. Clair businesses just around the corner from your home or office, or discovering homegrown options for your upcoming purchases and appointments you’ll find easy and practical tips below. Save and share this link: www.yongestclair.ca/proudlycanadian to stay in the loop.

Below are 4 Easy Ways to Kickstart Your ‘Buy Canadian and Buy Local’ Impact

4 Easy Ways to Kickstart Your ‘Buy Canadian and Buy Local’ Impact

1. Start with Low Hanging Fruit

Some inexpensive ways to kickstart your impact and keep your dollars here at home include:

● Review and reconsider your online and paid subscriptions, and pause or cancel subscriptions

● Explore and discover local, homegrown businesses and services using the Yonge + St. Clair directory including local:

+ Arts + Retail
+ Food + Drink
+ Health + Wellness
+ Office + Services
+ Go to www.yongestclair.ca/whats-here

● Switch to Canadian big box stores. See the big Canadian list of places to shop as researched by Canadians (source: Reddit/r/buycanadian)

● Reconsider your payment methods and opt for cash or Canadian institutions to process your payments

● Use local or local taxi services instead of Uber or Lyft and consider international ride-share apps, ie. Hopp app (by Estonian-owned company, Bolt) now available in Toronto

● Choose Canada and local for your upcoming vacation

2. Spread the word.

Tell your friends and family about ways they can support local and Canadian. Suggest that people start with the above Low Hanging Fruit listed above. You can always revisit this page at: www.yongestclair.ca/proudlycanadian

3. Help improve the Yonge + St. Clair local directory.

You can help out in Yonge + St. Clair by using the local business directory yongestclair.ca/whats-here 

● Suggest additions to the existing list by contacting info@yongestclair.ca

● Correct errors in lists, our team will be happy to update the directory to make locations easier to find

● Share stories or purchases that are local or Canadian on your socials by tagging or mentioning Yonge + St. Clair on either Instagram or Facebook via @yongestclair or #yongestclair. We will repost your local and Canadian finds!

● Post reviews of local stores, goods and services so other people can discover them too (Google Maps, Yelp etc.)

● Inform us about brands, establishments, local businesses that support underrepresented demographics or have great ethical/sustainable practices in Yonge + St. Clair

The Yonge + St. Clair BIA team can be reached directly at info@yongestclair.ca

4. Remember the big picture.

Our goal is to increase our impact in a way we can sustain for the long haul. We do not have to 100% divest from non-Canadian products to move the needle, as many existing Canadian and local businesses will have existing inventories and stock already. It will still help the local economy thrive whenever you purchase or book appointments and services with them. Buying and supporting local, independent Canadian-owned shops that source goods from abroad still sustains the Canadian way of life instead of purchasing directly from American alternatives.

You can email info@yongestclair.ca with any ideas, questions or concerns not covered on this resource page. Together we can build a community that’s both locally rooted and nationally strong

Things have gotten tougher lately—the Yonge + St. Clair BIA knows these aren’t just news headlines, they’re real issues affecting your shops and offices, your staff, and the community we all care about.

But here’s what we also know: resilience is woven into the fabric of small and commercial Canadian businesses. And with so much uncertainty at our doorstep, we’re focusing on what we can control: powering up our homegrown, neighbourhood economy by connecting your Canadian products, services, and expertise directly to the neighbors who need and value them most, while also uniting local businesses with domestic resources to keep growth rooted here.

Together we can build a community that’s both locally rooted and nationally strong

On this page, you’ll find timely resources gathered by the Yonge + St. Clair BIA to support your ongoing business efforts.

Have Your Say: Tariff Impact Surveys

The US-Canada tariffs remind us how quickly the business landscape can shift. And although we’re determined to turn these challenges into opportunities for Yonge + St. Clair businesses, we can’t do it without your feedback.

Right now, the City of Toronto, Yonge + St. Clair BIA and Canadian Urban Institute need your feedback now to start accurately addressing your business concerns, resulting in the types of support required to future-proof your business and our communities.

Your feedback will directly inform the creation of:

+ City of Toronto led purchasing and support programs for local businesses

+ Hyper-local Yonge and St. Clair programs to amplify your business efforts

+ Broader advocacy and campaigning by the Canadian Urban Institute to all levels of government

This is in addition to Provincial and Federal aid programs which are currently being planned, more announcements to come.

You can complete the surveys using the links below :

1. City of Toronto Tariff Impacts Survey (5 Minutes)

2. Yonge + St. Clair BIA Tariff Impacts Survey (4 Minutes)

3. Canadian Urban Institute Tariff Impacts Survey (4 Minutes)

City of Toronto Economic Response Resource Page

The City of Toronto aims to create and gather domestic resources that businesses can use to strengthen their self-sufficiency in response to US-Canada tariffs.

The City of Toronto is taking strong action to mitigate the effects of tariffs and strengthen local economic resilience, including:

+ Convening business and labour leaders to advise on the City’s response

+ Establishing a U.S. Engagement Secretariat within City Hall

+ Actively monitoring tariffs and implementing an action plan that includes enhanced local procurement to minimize disruptions

+ Gathering input from local businesses to understand how tariffs are affecting them.

Review and bookmark the City of Toronto’s economic response webpage, which contains ongoing updates and resources for all business types, including information on impacted sectors:

1. City of Toronto: Economic Response Webpage

A Practical Guide for Small and Medium Businesses: Responding to Tariffs

To support businesses, particularly SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises), The Toronto Board of Trade compiled key resources, expert insights, and practical tools to help mitigate the impact and identify strategic opportunities.

This playbook is your concise, actionable guide to navigating this turbulent period. It’s designed specifically for Canadian SMEs who need immediate, low-cost strategies to mitigate the impact of these tariffs and emerge stronger. Split into five modules, the playbook covers:

Protecting Cash Flow
Adjusting Costs/Pricing
Diversifying Suppliers
Adopting Lean Methods
Optimizing Payments

Download the full playbook (PDF) here: PDF Download

You can email info@yongestclair.ca with any ideas, questions or concerns not covered on this resource page. Together we can build a community that’s both locally rooted and nationally strong