Faced with looming tariffs, Montrealers vow to buy local produce to limit dependence on U.S.
Posted February 3, 2025 4:32 pm.
Last Updated February 4, 2025 8:04 am.
While the U.S. has paused imposing tariffs on Canadian products for 30 days, Montrealers are still trying to take matters into their own hands.
The “shop local” trend that was popularized during the COVID-19 pandemic is seeing a resurgence this week, with Canadians being encouraged to buy products made within their own borders as a way to limit the country’s dependence on the United States.
In a post on X Sunday, Premier François Legault urged Quebecers to buy local products.
“We have launched several initiatives in the past to identify Quebec products. Let’s buy them, it’s a good way to help each other,” the premier wrote. “Even if this attack from President Trump is very shocking, even if the coming months are going to be difficult, we must keep a cool head, roll up our sleeves and fight.”
That sentiment was shared widely by Montrealers who spoke to CityNews Monday.
“We have to try and buy anything made in Canada,” one person said. “Stop buying from the States.”
“I check everything, nothing American goes into my unit,” said another.
Some Montrealers were wondering how they could buy local produce in the middle of winter, with prices in grocery stores being what they are.
“Vegetables and fruits, that’s the biggest challenge,” said a Montrealer who recommended buying from Lufa Farms.
Lufa, which has five rooftop greenhouses in Montreal, produces 215,000 vegetables every week and feeds about two per cent of Montrealers.
“Lufa’s mission started 15 years ago and it really is the idea of meeting the customer with the production and making them as close as possible,” said Lionel Trombert, the vice-president of finance at Lufa Farms.
“And the goal is to assume that both land and water are scarce resources. And therefore we are using rooftop and developing urban agriculture with a hydroponic system, which consumes a lot less water than a normal traditional land farm.”

Lufa employs 600 people in the province and distributes about 30,000 baskets every week – full of local produce from vendors who share their values.
“I’m a fruit fanatic, so when I can buy Quebec fruit, I will buy Quebec fruit,” one Montrealer said.
“Everything is made here in Canada so that’s perfect for me,” added another.
Vegetables grown in greenhouses are known to be more expensive, but Trombert says they are closing the gap.
“I would say today what you see here is tomatoes, yes, they will be more expensive in the summer,” he told CityNews at the rooftop greenhouse in Saint-Laurent – the size of three football fields.
“But for the rest of the year, they are actually quite competitive and they are very close to power with equivalent products that you would find at the traditional grocery store.”
Trump has accused Canada of taking advantage of the United States on trade, and his 25 per cent tariffs were expected to take effect Tuesday before the parties agreed on a 30-day pause.
Canada said it is prepared to slap retaliatory tariffs on U.S. products, with the federal government releasing a detailed list of the retaliatory tariffs on $30 billion in goods.