With Trump preaching tariffs against Canada almost every time he opens his mouth, the threat of a trade war between Canada and the U.S. seems more probable than ever. Despite the impending doom, many Canadians are putting their national pride on full display by boycotting American products and, in turn, buying Canadian.

Still, the interconnectedness of the two countries can make it difficult. Luckily for students at MacEwan, supporting Canadian and local food vendors on campus is easier than it seems. 

Many food vendors on campus are Canadian-founded and owned, with a surprising number being local. Here are some places you can check out on campus if you want to join the buy Canadian trend. 

Let’s start with coffee — a necessity for university students. We all know that two of the most popular places to grab coffee on campus are Tim Hortons and Starbucks, which is unfortunate for those students who want to support Canada but can’t go without their caffeine fix. While Starbucks is famously American, and Tim Horton’s brandishes the maple leaf, many may (or may not be) surprised to discover that the once-Canadian doughnut shop is no longer so Canadian. 

In 2014, Tim Hortons merged with Burger King, creating a parent company called Restaurant Brands International. The move was backed by Brazilian-American investment firm 3G Capital.

Luckily, if you want to support Canadian businesses while still getting that pick-me-up in the morning, you can check out Deville Coffee on the first floor of SAMU. It was founded in 2008 and prides itself on its locations being owned locally in the communities it serves. So, not only is it a Canadian company, but it’s also locally owned.  If you’re on the other side of campus, you can check out The Bean’s List, another locally owned coffee shop.  

Next is food. Though MacEwan does offer some American places to eat on campus, like Subway, many food vendors are Canadian. But some places that may surprise you are Booster Juice, Opa!, Edo Japan, and Chachi’s, which are also Canadian-owned companies. 

Booster Juice got its start in 1999 in Sherwood Park. In 1979, Edo Japan, opened its first location in Calgary. Opa! also opened its first location in Calgary in 1998, and Chachi’s followed suit by opening its first location in Calgary in 2006. 

Now, MacEwan has a convenience store that offers a mix of American and Canadian products. Still, it makes a point to carry a variety of local products for students to quickly grab in between classes, like Caramunchies and Bloom which are both local to Edmonton. Still, with any type of convenience store, you’re bound to run into a slew of American products, mainly when it comes to pop, candy, and chips, which can be tempting. But, if you’re committed to the cause, all it takes is reading a few labels to determine whether you want to spend your money. 

Overall, MacEwan has made it relatively easy for students to support Canadian and locally owned businesses while on campus, as most of the coffee and food vendors available to them are already Canadian. So, if you want to show some Canadian pride, or if you don’t want to buy American, or even if you don’t care, there is something for everyone and, at the end of the day, it’s your choice where you want to spend your money.

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Graphics by Jade Charlery-Vidmar