Ontario restaurant fighting back against tariffs one locally sourced dish at a time

‘Elbows up’ is more than just a slogan to support Canada in the midst of a trade war or a warning from your Mom at the dinner table.

It’s a wake-up call to Canadians about the quality of meats and produce available right here at home and as trade tensions intensify over U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs – put on hold this week until next month – many grocery stores and local restaurants in Ontario and across the country are leaning into the ‘buy Canadian’ strategy.

Tariffs will hurt consumers, producers and businesses on both sides of the border but on the bright side, said the owner of a Whitby restaurant who has built his business on local ingredients sourced from local farmers, Canadians are buying into the shop local philosophy.

“It’s unfortunate that it’s taking something like this to get people to shop in their own backyards, so to speak. But If this helps to shine a light on some of the amazing producers we have right here in this country then I think in the long run we will be better for it,” said Matthew Simpson, the chef and owner of The Springwood, a restaurant in west Whitby that earned a perfect score in last year’s Open Table Top 100 restaurants in Canada poll.

“These products were here all along and there are more and more amazing farmers and purveyors coming along every day. Hopefully this gives them the support they need to continue to do great work and provide this country with great products for years to come,” Simpson said. “The people that were already buying local will continue to do so and my hope is this spurs more people to do the same.”

Simpson, who took over at the restaurant in the spring of 2023, has already noticed patrons making conscious decisions to avoid American-made products in recent weeks and opting to support farm-to-table dishes that use more Canadian ingredients.

That philosophy works well at the Springwood, one of 141 restaurants FeastON certified through the Ontario Culinary Tourism Alliance – a designation that requires businesses to source at least 25 per cent of both their food and beverage from Ontario. Their latest audit had The Springwood at 85 per cent for both categories.

By working with local farmers’ growth projections, The Springwood is also able to change its menu every three months and use ingredients available seasonally.

Many of his suppliers, such as Kendal Hills Farms (Orono), The New Farm (Creemore), K2 Milling (Tottenham) and Pristine Gourmet (Norfolk), are organic ‘farm to fork’ producers with an emphasis on healthy eating, sustainable practices and artisanal flavours, a theme carried on at his restaurant.

“This is just as important in our personal lives as it is at the restaurant. We try to shop locally, either at grocery stores or farmers’ markets in the summer. We also eat very seasonally at home. We don’t tend to buy out-of-season produce or drink wine from far away,” he explained. “What started as a way to shop and cook professionally has definitely taken over our personal lives as well. We see the impact it has and we choose to make those decisions outside the restaurant too.”

The price points for many artisanal products can be more expensive than what many consumers are used to, but Simpson believes it’s important his customers know they are eating quality and sustainable products.

“It doesn’t come cheap, but for good reason sometimes. Farmers deserve to be paid fairly for what they provide.  I feel like our reputation stands for itself and our guests know that we choose quality ingredients first and we always try to find the best we can,” he said. “But it’s more important that they understand why the cost associated with the products is higher, the amount of care and dedication that goes into it. As well, the socio and environmental impact that these products have as opposed to commodity products.”

Keeping the ‘buy local’ philosophy going and expanding the FeastON program to more restaurants is crucial to the long-term success of both the restaurant and the agricultural sectors, he added.

“It’s about keeping more money in the province, as well as getting to shine a light on the hardworking people that make this place go,” he said. “Restaurateurs are storytellers; the more stories we can tell about the amazing people around us, the better.”

Simpson also hopes the initiative lasts long after Trump and economic ravings are gone from the consciousness of Canadians.

“This wasn’t a knee-jerk reaction for us. Tariffs or not, we set out to be the type of restaurant we are from the get-go because this is what is important to us,” he said. “We hope to be at the forefront of being able to show what this province, what this country, has to offer.”

“I think with a bit of work, people will be able to see that we really do have some amazing people and products out there if you are willing to look.”

The Springwood owners Chef Matthew Simpson and General Manager Jasmine Lee