- Canadian flag maker Flags Unlimited has doubled its sales in the past six weeks compared to the year before. Co-owner Matt Skipp said the demand boost is a result of a rise in Canadian patriotism in the wake of mounting tensions with the U.S.
The blustery winter months are usually the slowest of the year for Flags Unlimited, which claims to be Canada’s largest flag producer. In the past six weeks, however, sales are double what they were a year ago.
The boost in demand for the maple leaf-stamped, red-and-white flag is a result of a surge in Canadian patriotism, according to Flags Unlimited co-owner Matt Skipp, fueled by tensions with the U.S., which have been stoked by President Donald Trump.
“This recent animosity, or negotiation, or Trump-talk has absolutely lit a fire under flag sales,” Skipp told Fortune. “The more Trump talks, the more flags we sell.”
The Barrie, Ontario-based company typically sells about 500,000 Canadian flags a year. Skipp predicts a 30% to 50% increase in total annual sales if demand continues at its current pace.
Trump has ruffled Canadian feathers early in his second term. After initially introducing a 25% tariff on imports from Canada and Mexico at the beginning of the month, Trump delayed the implementation of the tax for 30 days, saying the countries had agreed to talks to increase border security. Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called for a retaliatory tariff on some American goods—like orange juice, toilets, and some steel products—whenever Trump decides to reintroduce the levy.
Trump also doubled down this week on calls for Canada to become the U.S.’s “51st state”, claiming the U.S. loses $200 billion per year to its northern neighbor. The Trump-Vance transition team previously attributed the figure to U.S. defense spending, which benefits Canada, and the trade deficit of $67.9 billion dollars between the two countries—much of which comes from the U.S.’s reliance on Canadian oil. Trudeau rebutted that the U.S. proposals to annex Canada came from the desire for its natural resources. The White House did not respond to Fortune’s request for comment.
Canadians have made their discontent with Trump’s proposals known. Hockey fans in Montreal booed the U.S. national anthem before America faced off against Finland in game one of the 4 Nations Face-Off Thursday, while remaining silent for Finland’s anthem. Last week, Toronto Raptors fans likewise booed during the “Star-Spangled Banner” ahead of their NBA team’s victory over the New York Knicks.
The influx of Canadian pride has meant Flags Unlimited has had to adapt to the influx in demand, Skipp said. The company is considering adding extra shifts for its 50 full-time employees.
“We're kind of concerned about our ability to keep up for the first time ever,” he said. “We’re just getting inundated.”
Boycotting America
The eagerness to show love for Canada may be coming at the expense of demand for American goods. In response to the rising tensions between the North American neighbors, Canadians have begun boycotting American products and have refused to travel across the border to support U.S. tourism.
“Now is the time to choose Canada,” Trudeau said on Feb. 2 following the announcement of Trump’s tariffs. “It might mean changing your summer vacation plans to stay here in Canada and explore the many national and provincial parks, historical sites, and tourist destinations our great country has to offer.”
The travel boycott could take a toll on U.S. industries. According to the U.S. Travel Association, a 10% loss in travelers from Canada could mean 2 million fewer visits and an estimated $2.1 billion loss for the travel and hospitality industries.
Other Canadian consumers are avoiding American produce in grocery stores, ditching California fruits for local fare and drinking Canadian whisky instead of Kentucky bourbon.
“The rhetoric about tariffs, the mockery of our prime minister, and the musing about us becoming the 51st state, that did it for all of us,” one boycotting Ontarian told CNN Travel earlier this month. “Everyone was in agreement that we’re not going [to the U.S.]. We’re going to keep our money in our own country.”
