At the Canadian BDS Coalition, one of the questions we receive most frequently is: “Which products and businesses should we boycott? Which businesses should we support, if we want to support Palestinian rights and liberation?”
Of course, the campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions isn’t just about individual consumer choices — it’s about building collective power and challenging Israeli apartheid through cultural boycott, academic boycott and military embargo, in addition to the economic boycott of Israeli products and products produced by corporations profiting from the occupation. However, there are some key companies and products that are the targets of national and global boycott campaigns that we highlight on our “List of Shame.” This list also highlights Canadian companies that profit from occupation or that donate to, support and market occupation products. We view this list as a helpful tool to help individuals decide how to direct their shopping — but also for local Palestine solidarity groups, labour unions, social justice campaigners and others to find intersections around corporate complicity and determine local targets for campaigning.
Boycott List/List of Shame
This is a new project, so we know our list is not complete! Use our form to ensure complicit companies are on this boycott list!
City of Vancouver
Despite strong and diverse community pushback, #VanCityCouncil has adopted the divisive and dangerous IHRA definition. The IHRA is designed to “chill” speech on Palestine, but activists in Vancouver were clear that they will not be silenced. #NoIHRA
Actuonix Motion Devices – a Canadian company, are making components being used by the Israeli military.
The Aga Khan Museum (Toronto), a museum with a mandate to offer perspective and insight into the Islamic civilization, hosted an event in 2018 that sponsored by the Israeli consulate.
Ahava – This cosmetic company’s factory and visitor centre is located in an illegal Israeli settlement, and the company’s activities are based on extracting resources from the Dead Sea in occupied Palestine.
Airbnb – After initially committing to stop listing rentals in Israel’s illegal settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, Airbnb did a complete reversal, and will now continue to allow rentals on stolen Palestinian land. The Canadian Airbnb HQ is part of MaRS Discovery District, the flagship innovation hub for business, government, and community. Pledge to deactivate your Airbnb account
Bryan Adams played apartheid Israel in 2017.
Ballet BC – danced apartheid Israel in 2018.
BCLiquor, LCBO, SAQ and other Canadian provincial and territorial liquor agencies carrying apartheid Israeli wine and other products. (See below info on Israeli wine)
Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) is invested in a number of companies which are on the UN Database such as Bak Hapolim, Israel Discount Bank Ltd, and others. Also, it is invested in Elbit, Palantir, WSP, Allied Universal (G4S) and others. In fact CDPQ is the largest invested shareholder in Allied Universal.
Chapters Inc. is a Canadian bookstore banner owned by Indigo Books and Music. It operates superstores under the banners Chapters and Indigo, and smaller stores under the banners Coles, Indigospirit, SmithBooks and The Book Company. Two of the major owners founded the Heseg Foundation for Lone Soldiers, aimed at encouraging foreigners to join the Israeli army, and pursue their studies in Israel.
Canadian Pension Plan Investment Board –invests at least 7 percent of our public pension in Israeli war crimes
Duty Free Americas – the Falic family, owners of the US Duty Free Americas shops, donated at least $5.6 million to settler organizations in West Bank over past decade.
General Mills – General Mills is on the UN’s list of corporations complicit with Israeli settlements due to their activities in illegal colonial settlements in the West Bank. They produce many cereals sold across Canada, as well as Pillsbury products (below). On May 31, 2022, General Mills said it will stop making Pillsbury products on stolen Palestinian land.
Habourfront (Toronto) – Harbourfront’s 2022 International Dance Festival “Torque” was opened by the Israeli Dance Troup L-E-V. Harbourfront did not respond to over 3400 letters calling for cancelling this “Brand Israel” group.
HSBC: The international HSBC bank is a major shareholder in companies selling weapons and military technology to Israel and also provides those companies with the loans they need to operate. See action you can take.
Hewlett Packard – HP and its spin-off companies are involved in contracts to track the Palestinian population, secure the siege on Gaza and document the imprisonment of Palestinians. Boycott HP products, printers, computers and other devices. Join as an HP-Free zone and/or get your “this is my last HP” sticker.
Holland-Bloorview (Canada’s leading children hospital for rehabilitation), March of Dimes, and the Ontario government accessibility leadership went to Israel in 2019 learn about accessibility, supporting the accessibility washing of Israeli war crimes.
Israeli Dates and other Agricultural Products (Jordan River, Mehadrin, La Palma, Bomaja, King Solomon, Prana, NBF and others — check the label!) – Israeli dates and other agricultural products are grown on stolen Palestinian land, often through the exploitation of Palestinian labour under colonization. Nearly 75% of the Medjoul dates on the market are sold as “Products of Israel.” Boycott Israeli products and purchase Palestinian agricultural produce instead.
Israeli Wines – Boycott “Israeli” wines grown on occupied Palestinian and Syrian lands. In many provinces, government-owned liquor stores are selling these wines, making them directly complicit in the war crimes being committed on stolen land. Learn more about the #BoycottIsraeliWines campaign.
Manitoba Hydro, through its subsidiary Manitoba Hydro International, has with the Israel Electric Corporation relates to licenses and maintenance for software that simulates and analyzes power systems. A number of other Canadian utility companies have failed to indicate if they have an agreement with Israel Electric Corporation despite being asked multiple times. You can see the list here.
McGill University — In 2022, the McGill administration has threatened to terminate an agreement with the undergraduate student union that would withhold its funding after the student union adopted (71% approval) the Palestine Solidarity Policy in its campus referendum.
Pillsbury – Pillsbury is a subsidiary of General Mills. This means that Pillsbury products have been cited by the UN for their complicity and involvement with illegal settlements. Even the Pillsbury family has spoken out against Pillsbury’s involvement in apartheid. On May 31, 2022, General Mills said it will stop making Pillsbury products on stolen Palestinian land.
PayPal – Palestinians living in the occupied West Bank and Gaza are unable to use PayPal services, while Israeli settlers living in the West Bank have full access to the platform. Not having access to PayPal limits the growth of Palestinian businesses — especially the burgeoning tech sector, which is providing employment and livelihood to Palestinians. Sign Petition.
Puma – This sportswear company is the sponsor of the Israel Football Association, officially sponsoring racist teams like Beitar, teams in illegal settlements in the occupied West Bank, and an entire structure of Israeli colonialism. The Canadian BDS Coalition campaign has been focused on Puma in Canada.
RE/MAX ’s Israeli franchise has offices in the West Bank colonies of Ma’ale Edomim and Oranit, as well as in occupied East Jerusalem. RE/MAX also sells and rents homes located in the occupied Palestinian territories. Learn more.
Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) – has over 2 M shares valued at over $56 M USD in Palantir holdings. This relationship flies in the face of the recently offered option of a market-linked guaranteed investment certificate based upon environmental, social, and governance investigations which preclude investments in divisive and dangerous elements of society. The RBC also is invested in a number of companies listed in the UN data base and has indicated it can not divest these from their equity instruments, and also we stand in solidarity with the call for the RBC to divest from Costal GasLink.
Scotiabank – investments in UN data base companies complicit with settlement -Bank Leumi and Mizrahi Tefahot Bank- as per Bank Track and also in Elbit
Seacret “Dead Sea” Products – Like Ahava, Seacret’s business model is based on the extraction of Palestinian resources from the Dead Sea.
Schulich School of Business hosts study abroad exchanges with Israel, as the settler colonial state continues to occupy and kill Palestinians.
SodaStream – These machines and accessories are made by an Israeli company in the occupied Naqab. SodaStream is complicit in the ongoing displacement projects targeting Palestinian Bedouin villages and homes
Sabra Hummus – This product is produced in a joint venture between PepsiCo and the Strauss Group. The Strauss Group financially supports the Israeli occupation army.
TEVA – Teva Pharmaceuticals is Israel’s largest pharmaceutical company, which contributes millions of dollars in taxes each year to the Israeli regime and its military. Teva has also filed lawsuits against boycott campaigners in France in an attempt to silence these campaigns. Get your don’t fill Teva stickers & learn more.
The Toronto Symphony Orchestra (TSO) – made its first-ever touring appearances in Israel, with performances in Jerusalem on May 11, 2017 and Tel Aviv on May 13, 2017. The TSO also has hosted the Brand-Israel Israel, The Israel Symphony Orchestra.
TripAdvisor – lists more than 70 different properties, activities and attractions in illegal Israeli settlements in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT). By doing so, TripAdvisor is boosting the settlement economy and contributing to settlement expansion. The company’s promotion of settlements as a tourist destination helps to “normalise” and legitimise them to the public. Settlements are illegal under international law – their creation amounts to a war crime. Settlements are on stolen Palestinian land. They should not be tourist destinations.
United Church of Canada – The Canadian BDS Coalition provided a detailed response to the UCC taskforce but this was not included in the report back by the UCC. The UCC at its General Council in 2009 asked Palestinians to recognize the State of Israel and has never apologized or reversed that policy officially. In 2012, the UCC added to a motion at its General Council that it supported right of return only if Jewish demographic integrity (majority) was maintained. An cooperation accord between B’nai Brith and the United Church of Canada signed in May 1973 remains in place.
Wix – This web management company is an Israeli product. If you are looking for apartheid-free web hosting, steer clear of Wix. Boycott Apartheid, Boycott WIX
WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff a Montreal based company has a team that is responsible for the planning and the design of the Jerusalem light rail.
See more information on products and companies to boycott: Guide for Canada of Economic Boycott
Media
National Post and Postmedia. This call goes back to the beginning of this century when the National Post published on July 30, 2001 an editorial under the title “Anti-racism, in name only”. The Vancouver Sun on July 31, 2001 reprinted the same editorial as a “Guest Editorial” under the title “The West should shun conferences where the racism deck is stacked”. On August 1, 2001, the Vancouver Sun published an opinion piece by Gerald M. Steinberg under the title “Canada shouldn’t support condemnations of Israel”.
Each year businesses sponsor the Walk with Israel in Toronto. In 2022 some of the organizations included:
CIBC
Cineplex
Canadian Tire (CT Reit)
KPMG
Loblaws Company Limited
St. Clair Ice Cream
Two-bite
Fabricland
Yogurtys
Yogen Fruz
Sobeys
No Frills
Rio-Canada
Harvey Kalles Real Estate
Colliers International
Companies sponsoring Walk With Israel are asking to consider their unconditional support for Israel, and ask themselves if they would support the same violations of human rights and international law anywhere else in the world, a free-pass of unconditional support.