Norfolk supports buy local campaign

Luke Edwards

Advocate Correspondent

In many ways county staff beat Coun. Kim Huffman to the punch.

Huffman brought forward a motion at the March 25 Norfolk council meeting that directed staff to develop a buy local campaign in the face of the trade war launched by U.S. President Donald Trump. Her motion, which was approved, called for economic development and communications staff to work together to develop tools to help guide residents to locally produced goods, while also creating a marketing plan. Additionally, staff were directed to search for ways to realign the county’s procurement policies to support local and Canadian made.

However, a presentation by staff showed many of those steps were already being taken.

“This is the most comprehensive response to a notice of motion that I have experienced in my time in council,” Huffman told Economic Development Director John Regan and Director of Corporate Customer Service and Communications Katherine McCurdy following the pair’s presentation.

Since the tariff issues arose, staff said they have redirected internal priorities.

The county has been working on developing resources for both businesses and residents. On the business front, a new tariff resource hub is available online. It includes a survey businesses can complete from the Western Ontario Wardens Caucus. The hub also offers other resources to support businesses affected by the tariffs.

Staff are also working with other organizations such as BIAs and Chambers of Commerce to keep businesses up-to-date on federal relief and support programs.

Residents can also use the Visit Norfolk app or go to norfolkcounty.ca/tariff to learn more about how they can support local.

“While we cannot control international trade policy we can strengthen our local resilience, provide information to affected businesses and advocate for our community’s interest during this period of economic uncertainty,” said Regan.

“The last thing we want to do is create an anti-American campaign when we’re just looking for a Canada first approach.”

In their presentation staff also discussed the plan to update the Tourism Ontario Destination signs and installing new signs more quickly than originally planned.

Councillors also approved spending up to $20,000 on an enhanced campaign that will include advertising on local radio stations and newspapers, as well as other marketing tools like pop-up banners for both digital and analog.

“We have a threat to our community and country as a whole and we have some solutions: buy local, buy Norfolk and choose Canada,” Huffman said.

A related motion from Coun. Adam Veri sought to expand support beyond the tourism and agriculture sectors that he said have been the focus. His motion would have staff look for capital projects that would be more likely to use Canadian made products and, where possible, move them up on the schedule.

“I realize that we’re not going to move the needle a ton by doing this but it moves the needle a little bit and I think it’s important to recognize this other part of the economy. We talk about tourism and agriculture a lot, (but) there are a lot of people that work in manufacturing that are impacted,” he said.

Veri’s motion was ultimately referred back to staff for further review. Councillors and staff members alike expressed some concerns about running up against procurement regulations.

“We still have to work within the boundaries of our purchasing policy and the trade agreements to which we are subject, including the CETA (The Canadian-European Union Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement),” said General Manager of Corporate Services Heidy VanDyk.

Veri stressed he wasn’t looking to give preferential treatment and force companies to use Canadian steel or products, but wanted to look at ways to support other sectors that are affected by Trump’s tariffs.

“I didn’t want to leave that sector and the families that rely on it and work in our communities out in the cold,” he said.