About
About TryCanadian
A simpler way to support Canadian businesses
Where we spend our money matters.
Canadian businesses, from independent shops and manufacturers to some of the country's largest employers, support jobs, communities, suppliers and families across Canada. At a time of economic uncertainty and growing trade tensions, choosing Canadian when it makes sense can help keep more of that economic activity at home.
But finding out whether a company is actually Canadian isn't always straightforward.
A familiar Canadian brand may be owned by a foreign corporation. A Canadian-founded company may manufacture most of its products abroad. An international company may employ thousands of Canadians and manufacture products here. And smaller Canadian alternatives can be difficult to discover in the first place.
That's why we created TryCanadian.
TryCanadian is an independent directory designed to help people discover Canadian businesses, products and alternatives to major international brands.
We research companies and look at factors including ownership, where they were founded, where they are headquartered and, where relevant, where their products are made. We then present that information in a simple format so you can decide what matters to you.
Our goal isn't to tell you what you must buy.
It's to make choosing Canadian easier.
Sometimes there will be a direct Canadian alternative. Sometimes the closest option will be a smaller company offering only part of what a multinational provides. And sometimes there simply isn't a practical Canadian alternative. We want to be transparent about that too.
TryCanadian is built on a simple idea: when Canadians support businesses operating and investing here, more of our spending has the opportunity to circulate through Canadian communities.
Canada has a long tradition of people supporting one another when circumstances become difficult. TryCanadian is our small contribution to that tradition.
My personal story
Tomas Svec
Founder of TryCanadian
Hi, let me officially introduce myself. I am Tomas. A transplanted Vancouverite, originally from Slovakia. I moved to Canada more than five years ago and made Vancouver home for me and my lovely wife.
I started this project in August with one clear intention: to help my friends who were desperately looking for alternatives to U.S. products. Rising tensions between Canada and the U.S. motivated them enough to switch. And they were not alone.
So I stepped in and dedicated a few sleepless nights to this project.
When I started, I knew very little about the complexity of a project like this. But hours spent researching opened my eyes. I quickly found out that there are far too many companies using Canadian claims, symbols or branding that don't necessarily reflect the actual Canadian identity of the company or product.
Many customers can easily be misled this way.
Have you seen a popular pop brand proudly claiming that it was bottled in Canada? Or mustard with a maple leaf on the label, proudly stating that it uses 100% Canadian mustard seeds? Flip the bottle around and you may discover something quite different. The brand itself may not be Canadian, or the product may not actually be made here.
I was frustrated. Canadians deserve better and shouldn't be fooled like this.
That was the last straw. I asked my wife for a little patience and support so I could dig deep enough and provide my friends with something meaningful.
And that's how TryCanadian was born.
A project built on transparency, detailed methodology and trust. I source, research, verify and publish. All on my own.
I've spent over 100 hours building and improving the website, its database, researching companies and collecting feedback, so I can keep improving it and deliver what fellow Canadians actually want.
It's still my hobby project. I love it.
Hope you'll love it too.
If TryCanadian has helped you, you can support the project here.
For more on how we assess Canadian status and what "verified" actually means on this site, see our methodology.
Get in touch
Questions, feedback or corrections are welcome directly at tomas@trycanadian.ca.
Keep up with TryCanadian on Instagram, LinkedIn and Facebook.