View Royal passes motion to buy Canadian first, U.S. only in 'emergencies'
View Royal council is putting its money where its mouth is after passing a motion to primarily buy Canadian goods in the wake of U.S. tariff threats made by the Trump administration.
At a council meeting Tuesday, councillors approved a motion to amend its purchasing policy to place a "preference for items produced, manufactured, assembled, or grown in Canada."
Coun. Don Brown says the policy will go a step further, adding that if the town can't find what it needs in Canada, it will look to other countries that aren't the U.S. first.
Only after that will the town purchase a U.S. product or service, or "if it's an emergency situation," Brown told CHEK News.
"The main thing is to encourage the economy of Canada, to choose Canada first," he said Wednesday.
As an example, Brown said that the town is looking to replace its municipal vehicles. The plan is to go electric with its fleet, and to only purchase vehicles that are assembled in Canada.
"We talked about fire trucks as well, but there's three places as well that do fire trucks in Canada," he said.
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He added that while the new policy may not be the most cost-effective, he thinks the policy will help stimulate the Canadian economy overall.
"It may cost a little bit more but in the long run I think everybody will benefit," he said.
Other communities on Vancouver Island have signalled that they are looking to buy more Canadian as well amid trade threats from U.S. president Donalt Trump.
Last week, City of Victoria council asked staff to review the implications of what would happen if the city stopped buying U.S. goods and services where possible. It also asked staff to report back on the city leaving X.
The week before that, Saanich Coun. Colin Plant told CHEK News that he was drafting a motion that would see the district prioritize purchasing Canadian products, while CRD chair Cliff McNeil-Smith said staff were reviewing ways to puVictoria and Nanaimo less vulnerable to U.S. tariff impacts: Canadian Chamber of Commercerchase more Canadian goods.
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"I think, collectively, the impact of local governments acting together can be very significant," said McNeil-Smith on Feb. 4.
While other local governments are reviewing their next step, Brown said View Royal dove right in, not wanting to "hamstring" staff who are working on other projects, and because View Royal council wanted to be a leader in the movement.
"It sends a message, but it also helps support Canadian business," he said.
In a statement, Coun. Damian Kowalewich agreed.
"In View Royal, we're committed to buying Canadian products to support our economy and community," he said. "Every purchase we make as a town helps build a stronger Canada."