Our dog shops Canadian
Feb 23, 2022
Perhaps living next door to the boat equipment superpower and on the shipping route from China, we lose track of our own innovative manufacturers. Yes, the markets elsewhere are humongous so we cannot necessarily count on specialized boat fittings and gear to come from Kelowna or Moncton, but as it turns out, there is a manufacturer of PFDs in Kitchener, Ontario.
Frankly I was surprised – the jackets are actually made domestically. Sometimes I wonder if anything is any more. But yes, Salus lifejackets are Canadian and I was reminded of this when we received a press release indicating that that organization was now working with the Canadian supplier.
I purchased that nifty orange doggy PFD when our new-to-us rescue and our new-to-us boat arrived almost simultaneously a few years ago. At the boat show that year (back when we had boat shows) it seemed like a great way to welcome the pooch and look slick on board. We bought the little jacket because it was incredibly cute, very orange and certainly necessary. That it was Canadian was a bonus.
Small countries with much smaller populations like Denmark and New Zealand have bustling boat businesses and we do too. By buying at home we build that business, cut down on shipping and contribute to a lot of other positive effects.
John Morris
Online Editor
Canadian Yachting Magazine
CYonboard@kerrwil.com
