Hoping to buy local amid Canada-U.S. trade fight? Distillery District says 90% of its shops are Canadian-owned

As the "Buy Canadian" trend continues to grow, makers in the Distillery District want to remind visitors that it's pretty effortless to support local there.

"Everything is handmade here, I am the designer, the artist, and I try to source out Canadian yarns when I can," said Lori Dunn, owner of Millicent Vee Knits.

While supporting local has always been weaved into her business, Dunn says it's promising to see more shoppers paying attention to where things come from.

"People are so patriotic now, and it's really exciting," she said.

The Distillery District is hoping to tap into this patriotic era, touting in a recent news release that 93 per cent of its shops and retailers are Canadian-owned and roughly 30 per cent of its products are made on-site.

The Distillery District opened in 2003 and is, now, widely regarded as a national arts, culture and entertainment destination — one brimming with creative people.

"We're not just promoting them now, we always have," said Jamie Goad, co-founder of the Distillery District.

"In fact that's part of our DNA really at the Distillery, for the last 25 years we've been all about local," he said.

At Pure Spirits, Jason McLaren says local ingredients are on the table and have been for a long time.

"Why not go back into the Canadian roots of it all," said McLaren, executive chef of the restaurant.

"Let's support all of the people that work here and produce stuff here, and let's keep the money here."