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When you buy something with a “Made in Canada” label, how much of it is actually produced on Canadian soil?

It’s a difficult question to answer.

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While our country has a wealth of resources, materials such as textiles and commodities are often imported out of necessity and make their way into Canadian-made goods.

In general, for a good to earn the label “Product of Canada”, 98% of the total direct costs of producing or manufacturing must be incurred in Canada, according to the Competition Bureau’s guidelines.

For products “Made in Canada”, 51% of the total direct costs associated with making the goods must occur here, it adds. Also, the label must be qualified further where necessary with statements such as “Made in Canada with imported parts”, the bureau says.

For both labels, whether it is a “Product of Canada” or “Made in Canada”, the “last substantial transformation of the good” must happen here.