Nova Scotians still favour Canadian goods amid U.S. trade tensions: Poll

CITYnews halfax / By Dan Ahlstrand and Chris Halef

New numbers from Narrative Research show Nova Scotians remain committed to buying Canadian goods amid the U.S. trade war.

Of those surveyed, 62 per cent said they are most likely to look specifically for Canadian products, down slightly since April, and 53 per cent said they still avoid products from the U.S.

Nova Scotia is on par with the national average, with 62 per cent saying they are most likely to seek out Canadian products when grocery shopping.

“Across generations, younger and middle-aged Canadians are less likely to seek out Canadian products and look at the labels of products to avoid purchasing American goods, while their older counterparts are most likely to do both,” the study reads.

Roughly 50 per cent said they avoid American products. However, when it comes to seeking out Canadian entertainment, only 17 per cent of Nova Scotians said they do, which is below the national average of 20 per cent.

Related:

• Prime Minister Mark Carney announces support measures for softwood lumber industry
• Nova Scotia chocolate maker sees boost as U.S. tariffs reshape market
• Carney meeting with cabinet, premiers to discuss latest U.S. tariffs

According to the report, older Canadians are less likely to seek out Canadian entertainment, unlike their younger counterparts.

Meanwhile, 11 per cent of Nova Scotians said they cancelled a trip to the U.S. because of the trade war.

The survey was conducted between July 9 and 10, 2025, with 1,230 Canadians, 18 years of age or older, from the Logit Group’s online Canadian Omnibus. Data were weighted based on the 2021 Census, by gender, age, and region to reflect actual population distribution.

(Narrative Research)