While Quebec and the rest of Canada don’t always see eye to eye, it’s safe to say that just about everybody is on edge about getting into a trade war with the United States.
On Tuesday, U.S. President Donald Trump imposed a 25% tariff on Canadian and Mexican goods, prompting swift retaliatory measures from both nations. The economic standoff has sparked concerns across Canada, especially in Quebec.
In an interview with Radio-Canada on Monday, Quebec Premier François François Legault warned that these tariffs could jeopardize up to 160,000 jobs in the province over the next six months. With the stakes this high, folks in la belle province are already taking matters into their own hands by cutting back on U.S. products.
According to a recent Leger poll, Quebecers are boycotting American goods at a higher rate than most of the country
Results from the web survey conclude that 69% of Quebecers have recently reduced their purchases of American products in stores, slightly above the national average of 67%. Only British Columbia reported a higher boycott rate, with 76% of respondents in that province saying they’ve cut back on American-made goods.
That sentiment goes beyond brick-and-mortar stores as 68% of Quebecers have reduced online purchases of American products, again exceeding the Canadian average of 63%. Folks in B.C. once again lead the charge, though, with 73% of participants reducing their online consumption of U.S. products.
Meanwhile, a whopping 66% of Quebec respondents say they’ve cut their spending on Amazon, significantly higher than the national average of 56% — likely due to the shopping giant recently pulling operations from Quebec, leading to thousands of people losing their jobs.
As they scale back on U.S. goods, many Quebecers are actively choosing to buy Canadian instead. The poll found that 72% have increased their purchases of locally made products, slightly above the national average of 70%. Among political groups, Bloc Québécois (BQ) supporters are the most committed to this shift, with a striking 85% saying they have prioritized local shopping.
This economic rift with the U.S. is also shaping Quebecers’ perceptions of their southern neighbours. According to the survey, 32% of Quebecers now consider the U.S. an “enemy”, compared to 30% of Canadians overall.
It’s clear that Canadians — especially in Quebec and B.C. — are making a statement with their wallets. Americans, on the other hand, seem less concerned, with only 10% admitting to reducing their purchases of Canadian goods compared to 67% of Canadians cutting back on U.S. products.
Whether this boycott holds strong will likely depend on how the trade war unfolds.
Leger’s latest survey was conducted online between Friday, February 28 and Sunday, March 2 among 1,548 Canadian adults.
