ERIN – A longstanding flag company is struggling to keep Canada flags on the shelves as residents rush to show their Canadian pride.
Tammy Quantrell, owner of Kennedy's Flags in Erin, which has been in business since 1947, said she first noticed "a big uptick" in Canada flag sales around Feb. 15, which marked the 50th anniversary of the Canada flag being raised for the first time at Parliament Hill in Ottawa.
"On a regular Tuesday we might sell two," said Quantrell. "When you're sending out like 50 in a week, that's a lot for a time when you're not selling a whole lot of flags."
Now, with tariff talks and U.S President Donald Trump's comments about making Canada the 51st state, Quantrell said the Canada flag sales surge has continued and shows no sign of letting up.
"Coming up to the 15th, we completely sold out of every flag that we had," said Quantrell, in a phone interview with EloraFergusToday. "We just weren't prepared, we don't normally sell at this time of year."
Over the last month, Quantrell estimates Kennedy's has seen a 70 per cent increase in flag sales, which she called atypical since most people don't change their flag poles in the winter unless they're a business or corporation.
She says residents are really "sticking it" to Trump.
And it's not just new flags. Since Kennedy's offers free repairs for previous customers, Quantrell said she's noticed more people bringing in their old flags for repairs instead of "letting it go until spring."
"I know my flagpole is under three feet of snow so for me to go out there and change it right now would be a huge pain, but they're going out doing it because they're feeling like they have to be proud to be Canadians," said Quantrell.
A "very proud flag waver" herself, Quantrell said she anticipates the sales will continue and is excited to see other people as excited about representing Canada as she is.
"I don't really care if they come to me (for their flags), as long as everyone is as proud as I am to be a Canadian and fly the Canada flag," said Quantrell.
Isabel Buckmaster is the Local Journalism Initiative reporter for GuelphToday. LJI is a federally-funded program.