There was a time when “Made in Canada” labels were a common sight in Canadian department stores. Until the mid-1980s, about 70 per cent of the clothing Canadians wore was produced by workers here in this country.

Today, more than 85 per cent of apparel, household textiles, and industrial fabrics purchased in Canada are from overseas suppliers, often operating in countries with lower labour standards and weaker environmental regulations.

Yet, whether they realize it or not, Canadians see the high-quality output of our homegrown textile industry every day. If you cross paths with a doctor, nurse, police officer, firefighter or other frontline worker, chances are their protective clothing and equipment were made by Canadian textile manufacturers. From flame-resistant uniforms for military personnel to surgical gowns and personal protective equipment (PPE) for health-care staff, Canadian companies are producing high-performance, safety-critical textiles that serve industries across the country and protect people working in high-risk jobs.

While the U.S. administration’s erratic announcements about tariffs and trade barriers continue to cause havoc and uncertainty for most of America’s trading partners, Canada’s biggest challenge is not Washington. Rather, it comes from procurement decisions made in Ottawa.

Favouring cheap suppliers over homegrown quality

The Canadian government is an essential partner for our homegrown textile industry, yet it often seems to prioritize foreign suppliers over Canadian-made options. But decisions that appear to be “cheaper” in the short term can become very costly in the long term once they have irreparably damaged and diminished the Canadian economy.

As committed members and advocates of Canada’s textile sector, we are calling on the federal, provincial and municipal governments to give domestic manufacturers — and their employees — a level playing field when it comes to procurement decisions. It’s time for Canada to commit to buying Canadian.

For generations, Canada’s textile industry was an economic powerhouse. As recently as the year 2000, more than 200,000 Canadians worked in textile and garment production from Nova Scotia to British Columbia. The industry was an early driver of prosperity in key manufacturing hubs including Montreal, Toronto and Winnipeg, fuelling local economies and supporting thousands of working-class families.

Through the past few decades, however, rising globalization and the liberalization of trade policies began reshaping our industry. As offshoring accelerated, Canadian factories and companies began closing. In the span of a generation, employment in textile manufacturing plummeted from 200,000 to 15,000, though related industries, including apparel and fashion, bring that job number to a still significant 100,000.

Beyond Fashion: Specialized textiles for Canadian industries

Yet in the face of these challenges, Canada’s textile manufacturers have adapted and evolved. While fashion remains an important and visible segment of the textile industry, its greatest economic and strategic value comes from products that protect workers, secure supply chains and contribute to our nation’s success.

The companies that remain today found success by innovating and specializing — focusing on high-performance, technical textiles that are essential to Canadian industries and infrastructure. Our members produce fire-resistant fabrics, medical textiles, military-grade materials, protective coatings and advanced fibre technologies that supply Canada’s energy, construction, defence and healthcare sectors.

The strength of Canada’s economy depends not only on governments being committed to our industries, but on industries being committed to one another. One example of this deep connectivity is the relationship between Canada’s textile industry and our steel and aluminum producers, who employ tens of thousands of workers in smelters, mills, and foundries across the country. Every day these workers face extreme heat, molten metal and other hazardous conditions. To stay safe on the job, they rely on Canadian-made heat-resistant suits, gloves and other protective gear.

We must recognize the role that domestic industries play in supporting one another, and seek new opportunities to strengthen these ties. When Canada invests in its own manufacturing ecosystem — and prioritizes Canadian-made inputs across industries — we foster a stronger, more resilient economy.

Buy Canadian should mean governments, too

In the current unstable geopolitical environment, the ongoing possibility of tariffs on exports to the U.S. represents a danger of lost markets and a further threat to Canadian jobs, prosperity and economic stability.

While the U.S. remains an essential trading partner, the harsh consequences of a trade war have nonetheless come into clearer focus. Part of our response should be clear: a Buy Canadian strategy.

Buying Canadian is not about protectionism, it is about self-sufficiency, economic security and national resilience. Investing in our own economy promotes the expansion of production capacity and strengthens Canada’s ability to compete globally. It is about diversifying and reinforcing Canada’s industrial base, creating jobs and making our nation more self-sufficient.

Decision-makers at all levels must ask: Are we best served when Canadian industries, hospitals and emergency services use high quality uniforms, industrial textiles and PPE that were made in Canada? Our textile companies are already demonstrating that the answer to that question is yes.

As Canada confronts the biggest existential threat of our lifetime, it is imperative that we support Canadian workers, innovation, and resilience by firmly committing to a procurement strategy that puts Canada, and Canadians, first.