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Canadian appetite for buying local strong: BMO

October 10, 2013, Toronto, Ont – With preparations for Thanksgiving underway, Canadians’ appetite for purchasing locally produced foods remains strong, according to new findings from BMO Bank of Montreal.

“The bulk of food consumed by Canadians is produced domestically,” said Aaron Goertzen, an economist with BMO Capital Markets.

Canadian agricultural sales amounted to $54 billion in 2012.

“More than $30 billion of primary agricultural products, such as vegetables, meat and eggs, are sold to Canadian buyers,” said Goertzen. “These products accounted for 78 per cent of all sales of primary agricultural products in Canada.”

A BMO survey, conducted by Pollara, also revealed why Canadians choose to buy local:

• The food is fresh and tastes better (97 per cent)
• It supports the local economy (97 per cent)
• It supports local farmers (96 per cent)
• It creates local jobs (93 per cent)
• It’s better for the environment (88 per cent)
• It offers the opportunity to buy organic produce (76 per cent)
• It is less expensive (71 per cent)

“Thanksgiving provides an opportunity to show thanks for our local farmers and show our thanks for family, friends and the seasonal harvest,” said David Rinneard, vice president of agriculture and agribusiness with BMO Bank of Montreal. “By filling their holiday tables with locally produced foods, Canadians can help strengthen the fabric of our nation’s rural economy.”