We design great bikes in B.C., and we build a lot here, too, including hand-built beauties from the likes of Dekerf Cycle Innovations in Richmond. (Photo courtesy dekerf.com)
Food, fashion, books, and more created in B.C. and across the nation
In the mood to buy Canadian? Many of us are. And to help you shop, we've compiled a list of of intriguing products grown, designed, and/or manufactured in B.C. and our other provinces.
Some are delicious. Others are beautiful. Several offer sustainable alternatives to the run-of-the-mill products a lot of us have used for years.
1. Fresh-grown B.C. fruit and veggies
Come spring and summer, we're fortunate to have access to fresh, seasonal fruits grown right here in B.C. Bookmark the BuyBC seasonal chart to check availability of everything from berries, to rhubarb, to fish.
2. A bike in B.C. just makes sense
Our province is a hotbed for bike design, from touring bikes to mountain bikes to e-bikes such as Rize. Many are designed here but made overseas, but there are also some amazing custom bike builders. To find Canadian brands, check out this map/finder tool that will get you to the likes of Cove Bikes in North Vancouver, Dekerf Cycle Innovations in Richmond, Wildwood Cycles in Nanaimo and WZRD in Victoria, and We Are One in Kamloops.
Quebec’s The Wild Tribe designs premium inflatable paddleboards that compete on price and offer a wide variety of size and style options that suit newbie to more experienced paddlers. (Photo courtesy thewildtribe.ca)
3. A premium inflatable SUP designed in Canada
Inflatable stand-up paddleboards (SUPs) are the easy choice for anyone who treasures portability in their board. It's a crowded world out there in terms of choices, but Quebec-based The Wild Tribe turns out premium boards that compete on price and affordability, and they have a full range of options ranging in length from under 10 feet to over 12 feet.
4. Indigenous streetwear with a bold message
Section 35 creative director and founder Justin Jacob Louis is a member of the Samson Cree Nation and was born and raised in Nipisihkopahk (Samson) on Treaty 6 Territory. He now calls Unceded Stó:lō Territory his home. From his cool flagship store in District 1881, located in Chilliwack on Unceded Stó:lō Territory, the three-time Canadian Art & Fashion Design award finalist sells tees, tanks, jersey, sweaters, and more, ranging from graphic caps and beanies.
Designed-in-Canada Chilly Moose coolers have a strong following among Canadians, thanks to the combination of a name to love, performance, and durability. (Photo courtesy chillymoose.ca)
5. A more Canadian cooler
Yeti dominates the high-end cooler market, but it's a U.S. company that manufactures its coolers in the U.S. and overseas. Fortunately, there's a high quality Canadian alternative with a cool name: Chilly Moose. Designed in Canada and built in China, Chilly Moose is a family-owned company based in Schomberg, Ontario that has earned an avid following (and a lot of glowing reviews) among Canadians in particular.
6. Combining comfort with conscience
Vancouver-based tentree is transforming the fashion industry by planting ten trees for every item sold. With a bold mission to plant a billion trees by 2030, tentree's impact goes far beyond style. Their eco-conscious designs empower communities and support global reforestation.
7. Rain or shine, responsibly designed
Based in Montreal, Kamik has been creating durable, weather-ready footwear for over 125 years. Committed to eco-friendly practices, they recycle rubber to produce 360,000 new boots each year, ensuring that every puddle jump leaves a lighter footprint.
8. An all-world potato chip from Surrey, B.C.
It's crunch time for Surrey-based Hardbite as tariffs threaten to turn their sales to the U.S. – about 20% of their business – from crispy to soggy. So it's time to double down on the Canadian-made chip, which pairs nicely with B.C. juices, craft beer, and wine. See you at the beach.
9. Canadian-made BBQ grills
Abbotsford's own Jackson Grills makes high-end stainless steel grills. And while you may love to hate the Maple Leafs, it's easy to like Ontario's Napoleon Grills for their balance of quality and affordability.
10. Canadian-designed fashion at Simons
We like that Simons cut their lighting energy use by 40% when they switched to LEDs in all their departments stores across the country. But from day one, they've celebrated designed-in-Canada fashion, from the first store they opened in Quebec in the 1800s to the arrival of a Simons store in B.C. (at West Vancouver's Park Royal) in 2015.
11. Let's talk sausages
Oyama Sausage Co.'s five generations of charcuterie craftsmanship lead to memorable meats, from sausages extraordinaire (huckleberry elk, bourbon chipotle) to applewood smoked bacon. If you're at their Granville Island headquarters, you can taste a sample or two before you buy.
Like some sweet with your spice? Or do you just like it hot? Island Chef Pepper Co. has a sauce for you. (Photo courtesy islandchefpepperco.ca)
12. Made-in-B.C. pepper and barbecue sauces
Island Chef Pepper Co. sauces are produced by a family-owned Vancouver Island business run by chef Vince Capitano. They ace the taste test, from hot to not.
13. A better cheddar
Canada has an abundance of great cheesemakers, and Vancouver Island's Paradise Foods struts its stuff with a tangy 2-year Cheddar.
Tella & Stella uses local designers to amp up the fashion on pet collars while also paying close attention to the comfort of dog and cat collars. (Photo courtesy tellaandstella.com)
14. Fun and functional pet leashes
You may have caught the founder of Quebec's Tella & Stella company on Dragon's Den. He leans on local designers for fun, comfortable pet accessories that are a hit with owners and their furry friends.
15. A slim wallet for beach and club
Is that a George Costanza wallet in your pocket? Quebec's Matt and Nat has a vegan slim wallet that's perfect for night life, travel, or at the beach.
16. Comfortable camping solutions
From the Canadian Rockies to your campsite, Kuma Outdoor Gear provides reliable tents, sleeping bags, camp furniture, (and games!) designed to make you a happy camper.
The wave of craft beer makers in B.C. has reached most areas of the province, winning over former wine and cooler drinkers with fun tasting rooms and a range of ales, lagers and beyond. (Photo courtesy barkervillebeer.com)
17. B.C.'s craft beer revolution
There's no reason for a beer lover to drink anything other than B.C. stuff. The skill and inventiveness of our brewers produce something for just about everyone, from those who stick to alcohol-free brews to crisp lagers to citrusy IPAs, sours, and heavenly stouts as dark as a moonless night. Kudos to our brewers for converting so many over to never-boring beers. Head to bcailtrail.ca for a brewer near you, or for road trip ideas.
18. A made-in-B.C. surfboard
Tofino was once a sleepy town and many of us in B.C. are still unaware that Jordan River is a surf hotspot that sits just over an hour's drive from Victoria. But the surfers know, and increasingly they can look to crafted-in-B.C. boards including West Coast Shapes Ukee, Aftanas in Tofino, and Barracuda in Victoria.
19. A knife that's a cut above
The father-son B.C. team started North Arm Knives near the Fraser River in Metro Vancouver, but have since moved to the tiny town of Quathiaski Cove on Quadra Island off the east coast of Vancouver Island. They craft high-end knives for use in kitchens as well as for those who love the outdoors: fishers, hunters, and campers. The avid fishers at flyguys.net really like the Kermode fillet knife.
20. B.C. wines for every taste
Did you decide to cancel that trip to Napa, Sonoma, or the Yakima Valley to stay clear of the U.S. this summer? The easy (and delicious) stay-at-home option is a trip to Okanagan wine country or an increasing number of wineries dotting our province, including on Vancouver Island. Just let someone else drive.
Vancouver's own Iona Wishaw is a Globe & Mail bestselling author of a series of Kootenays-based mystery novels that includes her 11th and latest in the series, The Cost of a Hostage.
20. Books from B.C. writers
Take the work of a B.C. writer with you to the beach, the train, or poolside this summer. You may want to start with Best of B.C. Road Trips by Sam Burkhart. Other new books from B.C. authors include The Mother: A Graphic Memoir by Rachel Deutsch, and Taking Care of Where We Live: Restoring Ecosystems, by Merrie-Ellen Wilcox and Amanda Key. Other great picks include Blue Runaways, a short story collection by Jann Everard, the popular Lane Winslow series of mystery novels from Iona Wishaw, Beneath the Surface of Things: New and Selected Essays from Wade Davis.
21. Natural ingredient deodorants
In the hills around Shuswap Lake, Element Botanical's Amber and Hardy Haas forage for plants for their natural products including Sweatshoppe Natural Deodorant. Meanwhile in the Rockies, sisters Neige and Pippa make a wide range of natural personal products under the Routine label, including Cat Lady deodorant.
22. A healthier chocolate
Glow Chocolate in East Vancouver decided that decadence could be achieved with a chocolate that contains no refined or added sugars. Their treats contain three grams or less of sugar and may just rock your world, from nut butter cups to truffles to keto caramels.
24. Dazzling dinnerware
Vancouver's Fable is a certified B Corp that sticks to a carbon neutral model through the purchase of carbon assets. They design beautiful products here and manufacture them in Portugal.
25. Time to switch from bourbon?
If you're a whiskey drinker looking to keep your spirits soaring locally, track down a bottle of Shelter Point single-malt whiskey out of Campbell River. Bourbon lovers quitting the U.S. stuff will get a taste of what they love from several of Shelter Point's single malts aged in bourbon barrels.