Why Shopping Local Matters More Than Ever: My CHCH Morning Live Appearance

When I walked into the CHCH Morning Live studio on April 10th, 2025, initially my plan was to talk about Earth Month and how my green book, Good Food, Healthy Planet was celebrating her one — year anniversary. With US Tariffs and the threats from their Government, the conversation took a different turn. 

Shopping Local — A Message Whose Time Has Come

For years, I’ve been sharing the advantages of buying local — it’s one of the five guiding principles in Good Food, Healthy Planet. But recent events have made this conversation more pressing than ever. With tariffs driving up food costs and the US Government threats and the increasing pressure on Canadian systems, choosing local isn’t just good environmental practice — it’s essential, critical even if we want to live in a country that is resilient and abundant. 

Incredible Canadian Food

Filling that studio table was almost too easy. From Fontaine Santé’s fresh options to Hans Dairy’s quality products, from the golden wildflower sweetness of Root Honey to the bold flavours of Kozlik’s and Smak Dab mustards — the variety is stunning. Foodland Ontario fruit and veg, Scotian Gold Apples, Mucci Farms’ greenhouse vegetables, Chapman’s and Kawartha Dairy ice cream, Krinos products, Ozery Bakery breads, and so much more made it to the table. I linked all the products in my behind-the-scenes Instagram reel here.

And that was just what fit on the table! I could have filled three more with Inari Organics grains and seeds, the incredible work being done by Canadian lentil and barley growers, and countless other producers who are quietly creating abundance right here at home. Watch the full TV segment here.

Beyond the Crisis: Building Something Better

Yes, we’re navigating challenging times with rising costs and economic uncertainty. But this moment also presents us with an opportunity — to strengthen the systems that truly serve us, to support farmers and producers who understand our culture and climate, and are open-heartedly supporting Canadian communities, all so that we may reduce our dependence on American supply chains that leave us vulnerable.

Shopping local isn’t just about getting us through this mess (though it absolutely helps with that). It’s about building something resilient, more sustainable, and more deeply connected to the land we call home.

Your Turn to Share the Bounty

I’m curious: what are your favourite Canadian food companies, products, farms, or vendors? I’d love to hear about the local treasures you’ve discovered and help share this incredible bounty with the world. Tag them, share them, celebrate them — because when we support local, we’re investing in our collective future.

@foodlandontario
@muccifarms
@smakdabmustard
@kozliksmustard
@1roothoney
@eatlentils
@gobarley
@lovecdnbeans
@ontarioapples
@scotiangoldapples
@hansdairy
@chapmansicecream
@kawartha_dairy
@fontainesante
@krinoscanada
@ozerybakery
@organictraditions
@makegoodfoodscanada
@elanbio

Want to learn more about the power of local food systems? Check out the Eating with Benefits™ framework in Good Food, Healthy Planet. Sign up for my newsletter and follow along on Instagram for more behind-the-scenes moments and community events.