A Shop Canadian app created by two Edmontonians is seeing an uptick in traffic. The creators are crediting the sudden patriotism directly to our relationship with our southern neighbours. The Shop Canadian app was launched in January 2025 by William Boytinck and Matthew Suddaby. Its 10,000-company database allows consumers to scan most barcodes while shopping to see whether a product is locally or nationally made. Each trade announcement, Boytinck told CTV News Edmonton, leads to a slight bump in traffic on the app. The U.S.-Canada trade war has contributed to one of the app’s most “noticeable” bumps yet. Shop Canadian says it’s seen traffic increase by 143 per cent across the Apple Store and Google Play. There have been 30,000 requests for product information since last week. “I think it’s just from people who want to support local businesses and do their parts,” Boytinck speculated. The app is in a constant state of upgrades, though, as determining where a product is ultimately sourced can be tricky. “Even if a piece of clothing is made in Canada, where is the fabric coming from? Where is the machine coming from? Is it shipped by a Canadian company to its final destination?” Boytinck said. “(We) still receive messages nearly every month asking for features or updates, and businesses across the country send me data to help with our product.” John Pracejus, the director of the University of Alberta’s School of Retailing, said apps that scan product origins may become more popular as Canadians become wary of a U.S. label. “As Canadians are navigating this, I certainly wouldn’t count on the lack of a ‘made in the U.S.A.’ label meaning that it wasn’t made in the States,” he said in an interview Tuesday. “There’s no requirement that says (companies) have to say where a product was made. But if it says made in Canada, then it was made in Canada.” He added the reignited anti-U.S. consumption among some Canadians may make everyone a little more aware of what they’re eating, drinking and wearing, but in the long-term, supporting local isn’t completely foolproof. “I don’t think this is good for either economy on either side of the border. I think this is going to cost consumers more. It’s going to put unnecessary friction on the economy.” Still, as Boytinck says, it may feel “intensely gratifying.” “It feels good knowing that you’ve done your part and you’re helping people out.” With files from CTV News Edmonton’s Miriam Valdes-Carletti
