Canadian colours have been flying off the shelves at Flag Shop Victoria. 

As Canada-U.S. tensions persist, Paul Servos, who co-owns the 37-year-old store with his wife Maggie Rennick, has seen the sale of residential Canadian flags surge by 300 per cent over the last six weeks.   

鈥淣ormally in June we would see this level of activity, whereas in February and March, we're usually very, very quiet,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e're working all-out to meet demand.鈥�   

Servos explained that some of U.S. President Donald Trump's recent comments account for the sales spike. 

鈥淏ased on the discussion that we have with customers, as they're talking to us in the store all day long, most ... are very concerned about the comments around Canadian sovereignty,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 think that motivates them more than does the tariff discussion.鈥�   

This is the first time the store has seen a jump in the sale of Canadian colours since before the pandemic. 

鈥淭he ... flag was tarnished by the trucker ... movement,鈥� said Servos, who added the sale of residential flags sank by 50 per cent after vaccine protesters rolled into Ottawa. 鈥淧eople did not want to be associated with that movement, so they stopped buying Canadian flags.鈥�    

But the maple leaf鈥檚 meaning has since shifted, according to the co-owner. 

鈥淢any, many of our customers that are coming into the store now are saying they鈥檙e so pleased to reclaim the flag and to bring the flag back to its proper meaning,鈥� he said.

This isn鈥檛 the first time tensions have spurred sales. When Russia invaded Ukraine in 2022, the store sold out of its blue and yellow flags in just 20 minutes. Similarly, after tensions erupted in Israel and Palestine in 2023, both countries鈥� flags were in high demand.

鈥淲henever a conflict breaks out, we do see 鈥� unfortunately 鈥� a surge in those flags,鈥� said Servos. 

While customers are scooping up the store鈥檚 pre-made flags, Flag Shop Victoria鈥檚 two sewers have been working tirelessly to fulfill orders for hand-made alternatives. Managing that new demand hasn鈥檛 been easy, according to Servos, but he's excited about the challenge. 

"I'm thrilled that we've recaptured the meaning of the Canadian flag,鈥� said Servos. 鈥淚 think that excitement is more important to me than the volume of sales.鈥�