If there's something Conor Blackmore has learned from owning a business, it's that he has to be prepared for anything.
So, when planned 25 per cent trade tariffs levied by the United States against Canada were set to turn into a reality this week, the owner of The Nook Cook House on King Street East in Preston was ready to do his part.
In preparation, Blackmore took to social media through his restaurant's account on Jan. 30 to let the community know he would be actively seeking to source more Canadian grown, produced and manufactured products.
And while the tariffs have now been paused for at least 30 days, he's sticking to his plan.
It's not meant to be an anti-US stance, but rather a pro-Canadian one, he said.
"I probably re-wrote it four or five times," Blackmore said of the social media post.
"There's American people, people with dual citizenship, so I didn't want to offend people in the sense of boycotting anything that's not Canadian. It has to do with the whole buying power right now and what that's going to do to our restaurants and grocery stores."
Blackmore acknowledges it's almost impossible to fully steer away from buying American goods but is hoping to get to 95 per cent Canadian.
He also admits it hasn't been easy to navigate.
As he sits at a table in his restaurant discussing the decision, pages of notes are spread in front of him. It's taken hours of research to ensure what he's buying is truly supporting his neighbours, whether it be down the road or across the country.
"I've been paying attention to what it means to buy Canadian," he said.
"I've been studying, studying, studying and trying to find different sources for different items."
The Nook Cook House isn't the only restaurant in the city to speak out about its plans in the event of a trade war.
Bossa Nova, a Brazilian restaurant in the heart of Hespeler Village, also posted on social media indicating it will be re-evaluating its buying model.
"As a proudly Canadian-Brazilian restaurant in Cambridge, Ontario, we have decided to reassess all our suppliers and imported products from the U.S. in response to the 25 per cent tariffs imposed on Canadian goods," the post, dated four days ago, said.
"Now, more than ever, we believe in supporting local businesses, strengthening our economy and standing by our community during these challenging times. Our commitment is to prioritize high-quality, locally sourced ingredients while continuing to deliver the authentic flavours our guests love. Let's support each other."
Understanding his restaurant is a small cog in the Canadian economic wheel, Blackmore hopes by speaking out and taking action, more will consider doing the same.
"I have a feeling a lot more will start doing it and I hope they do," Blackmore said.
"The more we all do it, the stronger we are together. If it's just me doing it, I'm not going to make that big of an impact. But if the whole city and country is doing it, we have a huge impact."