20 Made in Canada Brands You Need to Know

In a world where the click of a button can get you products from a factory on the other side of the planet dropped off at your door, it can be strangely difficult to find made-in-Canada brands. Many people never discover what’s right next door. 

This handy guide can help you support local businesses, cut down on air traffic, and find amazing brands that express the bold and beautiful personality of Northern Ontario. Whether you're looking for specialty grocery items, warm winter clothing, or gifts like jewelry, bath and body, and art—we've got the brands you need to know.

Come check out the amazing variety of local brands to be found north of the border (and the GTA). Happy shopping!

Heartbeat Hot Sauce

Maker: Heartbeat Hot Sauce      
Made in: Thunder Bay, Ontario      
Made for: the Spice Lover

Deliciously unique, Heartbeat Hot Sauce is made with traditionally fermented peppers and simple, high-quality ingredients. No added water, thickening agents or chemical preservatives mean that this sauce is as natural as it gets. They come in a wide range of unique and tantalizing flavours to add tasty fire to any dish. Buy them individually or as a set; you can even stay warm inside and out this winter by picking your 4 favourite sauces and getting a limited edition scarf.    

Fromagerie Kapuskoise

Maker: Fromagerie Kapuskoise      
Made in: Kapuskasing, Ontario      
Made for: the Cheese Connoisseur

You are what you eat, so there’s no better way to get close to Northern Ontario than by sampling their cheese, produced from the milk of the region’s livestock and cultured by local artisans. Each of their fine aged cheeses are then honoured with the names of the lakes and rivers of the Kapuskasing region, so you get a geography lesson on top of a delicious snack. You’ll never forget the Opasatika once you’ve tried the Opasatika.    

Dream Acres Alpacas (Clothing + Accessories)

Maker: Dream Acres Alpacas               
Made in: Black River-Matheson, Ontario           
Made for: Campers, snowmobilers, or people whose feet freeze while at their desk

These soft and oh-so-cozy alpaca socks are a game-changer for winter days, and who doesn’t appreciate warm toes? They come in understated greys or cute, flashy stripes and are basically a hug for your feet. For real alpaca lovers, the farm also offers overnight stays at the Paca Shack!

LOTW Design and Photography (Prints, Posters, + Calendars)

Maker:  Wanda Kabel      
Made in: Sioux Narrows–Nestor Falls, Ontario      
Made for: the Nature Lover

Anishinaabe-Métis photographer Wanda Kabel’s captivating photography captures the natural beauty of the lakes, wilderness, and life that makes up the Lake of the Woods region, with a special focus on this year’s legendary Northern Lights shows. Bring this vision of the North into the homes of your friends and family with a wall calendar or print.   

Beam Paints (Art Supplies)

Maker: Beam Paints
Made in: Manitoulin Island
Made for: Budding artists

Beam Paints is an Indigenous-owned, female-led company that makes paint palettes using Indigenous pigment-making traditions based on Manitoulin Island, Ontario. “Tisgeh'dah” means “let’s colour” in Ojibwe; this natural birch palette is perfect for artists.

Giizhigat Maple Products

Maker: Giizhigat Maple Products
Made in: St. Joseph Island, Ontario
Made for: Sweet tooths

Celebrate the art of making maple syrup, by purchasing from a business that grew from family tradition. From their current home on the Six Nations of the Grand River, Deborah and Isaac Day’s produce and sell maple syrup, maple butter, maple sugar, and maple leaf candies. They also sell maple-flavoured toffee – the perfect stocking stuffer for the sweet tooths in your life. If you’re looking for something different, be sure to take a look at their inspirational greeting cards and clothing. 

49th Apparel

Maker: 49th Apparel
Made in: Sault Ste. Marie
Made for: The worker-from-home

Pajamas-all-day is definitely a vibe—especially in winter when you're working remotely. 49th Apparel offers made-in-Canada clothing (and upcy just as cozy as sweats and PJs, but is a bit of a style upgrade for those who are looking to add a bit of fashion to their home office.

Pearl + Moss Botanicals

Maker: Pearl + Moss Botanicals
Made in: Wawa
Made for: The beauty influencer

This sustainable, award-winning clean beauty brand is made in Wawa, Ontario, and offers flat-rate shipping across Canada (and free shipping with orders over $125). Check out their baby and natal care lines, as well as the handcrafted soaps, lotions, and their classic shampoo bar. 

 Joyful Home (Home Goods)

Maker:  Joyful Home               
Made in: Lively, Ontario        
Made for: luxury-loving homebodies

Handcrafted in Lively, Joyful Home’s 100% soy wax candles are meticulously scented with premium fragrance oils and are sustainable, eco-friendly and toxin-free. Pamper people with enchanting scents like Cedar Sauna, Muskoka S'mores, or grab their Christmas Collection. 

Sister Bear Designs (Accessories + Gifts)

Maker:  Sister Bear Designs      
Made in: Thunder Bay, Ontario      
Made for: the Sketcher, the Journaller, or the Lister

Jot, scribble, sketch and crumple with a clean conscience, using Anishinaabe-owned Sister Bear notepads. These elegant and eye-catching notepads (now with pens!) are inspired by nature, both in their design and the fact that they’re made from 100% recycled paper (and the eco-friendly pens are recycled plastic, too). Now you won’t feel so bad when you realize that you’ve just recycled a bright idea: no trees were harmed in the making of it. The notepads are also customizable, for a true personal style.

Rheault Distillery (Made-In-Ontario Vodka + Spirits)

Maker:  Rheault Distillery
Made in: Hearst, Ontario      
Made for: the discerning vodka lover

This made-in-Ontario vodka has won several awards for its smooth, light taste. Find it at your local LCBO or make the trip to Hearst for a tour of this unique, family-run distillery. 

Vik Wilen (Yoga, Surf, and Apparel) 

Maker:  Vik Wilen      
Made in: Thunder Bay, Ontario      
Made for: lake surfers or those who want to be

Made of natural rubber, these yoga mats by artist Vik Wilen come in two designs and offer gift-givers the chance to bestow a little zen on their loved ones this year. The artist also offers a gorgeous line of landscape-inspired surf, wakesurf and longboards designed especially for the lake surfer. If you love the art but are looking for something different, shop the original artwork, prints, buffs, surf, wakesurf, and longboards, as well as clothing. They also make custom pieces!

Niska Artisans (Moccasins + Apparel)

Maker:  Niska Artisans              
Made in: Timmins, Ontario      
Made for: cold-footed folks

Put your best foot forward (or mitt, if you like) with the meticulous hide and beadwork of a Timmins artisan. Available through the Niska Artisans website, these affordable hide moccasins (handcrafted by Nicole) sport fluffy beaver fur ankles, ridiculously cozy fleece lining, and traditionally inspired bead designs. Scan through the rest of the Niska Artisans website to discover a range of beautiful hide apparel, including long mitts and thigh-high boots, jewelry, Christmas ornaments and wall hangings. 

Kristy Dawn (Jewelry + Gifts)

Maker:  Kristy Dawn              
Made in: Sudbury, Ontario     
Made for: lovers of pretty things

Sudbury-based jeweller Kristy Dawn makes elegant pieces (worthy of a fairy) to fit all kinds of budgets. Crafted by Dawn handcrafted jewellery comes in silver, gold, and gemstone, with earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets and charms, made to order. Kristy enjoys bringing customer’s visions to life and is more than willing to design custom orders; check her website for details.

 

My Ol’ Blues (Clothing)

Maker:  My Ol’ Blues                  
Made in: Gore Bay, Ontario         
Made for: Everyone

Comfy flannelette sleep pants in special edition prints, perfect for curling up in on a winter evening! Unique by batch, every print shown is available in child, youth, men’s and women’s sizes, but once they are gone they don't repeat. 

Gnomewood Handcrafted Toys

Maker: Gnomewood Handcrafted Toys               
Made in: Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario     
Made for: The Imaginative Kiddo

These wooden heritage toys, lovingly crafted by expert toymaker Armand Grandinetti, are designed to last a child's play life and to be passed on to their own children. You’ll find beautifully handcrafted dollhouses, castles, cars, games, play kitchenettes, magic wands, toy swords, “gnome houses”, puppet theatres, and more—all to ignite kids’ imaginations and help them to create their own little world to explore. Take a look at more Gnomewood toys here.

Finnia Chocolate

Maker:  Finnia Chocolate              
Made in: Manitoulin, Ontario      
Made for: the Cocoa Lover

Do you know someone who loves great chocolate? We’re talking ultra-rich, single-origin bean-to-bar craft dark, milk or white chocolate in flavours like Peanut Butter or Buttermilk Truffle, Canadian Maple and their award-winning Ucayali 85%. They also carry gourmet hot chocolate, coffee and tea, just the thing for warming up in the chilly months. 

Maxwell Pottery (Homegoods)

Maker:  Maxwell Pottery      
Made in: Mattawa, Ontario      
Made for: the Host or Hostess (or Avid Paddler)

Maxwell Pottery offers a host of unique gifts and practical items. Their well-known canoe dip set is handcrafted and ideal for entertaining. A quiet shout-out to Ontario’s paddling heritage, it also happens to be very functional. It comes with two paddles (spreaders), is available in 6 colours and provides a stylish vessel for serving festive snacks. Beautiful bowls, platters, mugs, and one-of-a-kind pieces are also available. 

 

Egli’s Sheep Farm (Clothing + Accessories)

Maker:  Egli’s Sheep Farm      
Made in: Dryden, Ontario      
Made for: Winter Lovers and Winter Haters

No matter how they feel about the season, these mitts are sure to make winter happier for anyone on your list. Made from genuine shearling sheepskin with suede outside and soft wool inside, these mitts offer the ultimate in comfort and warmth for men, women and kids. The cuffs can be folded up or down. Great for blocking the wind on winter hikes, skating or snowshoeing. 

Bait2Go (Bait + Fishing Stuff)

Maker: JR Paquette      
Made in: Sudbury, Ontario      
Made for: the Angler

If you or a loved one ever wanted to be the Batman of anglers, Bait2Go has something to add to the old utility belt (literally): the Bait2Go bait bucket. Designed to either clip to your belt, boat, or just sit beside you, this hardy bait bucket has a sieve-like construction that keeps your bait fresh and wriggling while still readily at hand, for quick and easy re-baiting. For the Batman angler with a Robin in tow, the makers made sure that the design is easy for kids to handle, too. Works with all kinds of crawly fish-snacks, be it live worms, minnows, spawn bags, or however you like to hunt your quarry. Great for kayak fishing, too.  

Northern Ontario Experiences

If you're looking for unique, local travel experiences this year, here are some fun (and giftable) Northern Ontario experiences to try.

• Elk Lake Wilderness Resort ATV Package (Elk Lake, Ontario)

  Treat your loved one to one of the best ATV riding experiences out there. Elk Lake Wilderness Resort provides ATVers with riverfront accommodations, 3 fresh home-cooked meals a day, access to hundreds of kilometres of crown land to explore, and a $50 voucher towards a guided ride if you’d like one. No ATV? No problem! You can rent one from their partner Northern Sports & Rentals and have it delivered right to the resort.

• Crochet, Knitting, Beading or Embroidery Classes at Shabby Motley (Sault Ste Marie, Ontario)

  Gift a voucher for a workshop or round of lessons so your crafty giftee can have fun honing their skills. Shabby Motley hosts a variety of classes and workshops for all levels. Check out their website or Facebook or phone (705-575-YARN) for a lineup of what’s going on in your month of choice, and to register.

• Sleep with the Wolves Experience at Cedar Meadows Resort and Spa (Timmins, Ontario)

  Give someone an unforgettable, up-close experience with the Sleeping With the Wolves package at Cedar Meadows Resort and Spa. Guests will enjoy two nights in a luxuriously furnished, glass-walled cabin that allows them to observe the resort’s resident wolf pack in a way that few others get to! The package also includes Wilderness Tour passes, dining vouchers and passes to the spa’s Nordic Baths, making it an unbeatable combination of excitement and relaxation in a natural setting.    

Canadian Books about Northern Ontario

And Miles to Go Before I Sleep by Jocelyne Saucier

Maker: Coach House Books
Made for: Mystery-loving bibliophiles

While the author and translator of this book are not from Northern Ontario, And Miles to Go Before I Sleep starts in a small community founded around a mining site in Northern Ontario near Kirkland Lake. The story centers around the disappearance of a woman named Gladys and her daughter, Lisana, who hop on the Northlander train – never to be seen again. This is a captivating novel from the author whose two previous novels, House of Sighs and Jeanne's Road, were finalists for the Governor General's Award.

Cobalt by Charlie Angus

Maker: House of Anansi Press Inc.
Made in: Cobalt, Ontario
Made for: History bibliophiles

If you’re not familiar with Charlie Angus he’s a long-time Federal Member of Parliament for the riding of Timmins-James Bay, and has authored eight books about the North, Indigenous issues, and mining culture. His latest book, Cobalt, digs into Canada's complex history of cobalt mining. He explores the theft of Indigenous lands, the exploitation of a multicultural workforce, and the environmental ramifications caused by international resource extraction.

Are you a Northern Ontario maker? Have you got an item you'd like to let us know about? Drop us a line at jenn@thenewbusiness.ca. We'd love to hear from you. 

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