Province Levelling Playing Field for Ontario Businesses
New regulation helping modernize the public sector procurement process
The Voice of Canada:
Effective April 1, 2024, a new regulation under the Building Ontario Businesses Initiative Act, 2022 .
(BOBIA) gives businesses across the province access to more government and public sector procurement opportunities.
The new regulation enshrines in law that Ontario’s public sector — including hospitals, schools, colleges and universities — give preference to Ontario businesses when conducting procurements for goods and services such as acquiring school supplies or food for cafeterias.
“Ontario businesses should benefit from the investments of its own government,” said Minister Caroline Mulroney, President of the Treasury Board. “Prioritizing Ontario-made products and services will help protect the supply chain, create good paying jobs and rebuild the province’s economy.”
This Act is part of Ontario’s ambitious plan to centralize and modernize public sector procurement. The new regulation, which defines what is considered an Ontario business and what goods and services are covered under the Act, leverages the province’s purchasing power to support Ontario businesses and made-in-Ontario innovations.
“As the underlying engine of Ontario’s economy, local businesses play a vital role in creating jobs, and positioning the province as a prime jurisdiction for investment attraction,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Through the adoption of this new regulation, our government is supporting Ontario-made innovation and taking another step towards ensuring a strong and resilient economy for future generations.”
To ensure Ontario remains compliant with its trade obligations, this regulation applies to procurements below $121,200 for goods and services in the Broader Public Sector. Similarly, for the Ontario Public Service, the thresholds are set at $30,300 for goods and $121,200 for services.
The government anticipates that at least $3 billion in contract awards will be targeted to Ontario businesses through to 2026.
Every year, the Ontario Public Service and Broader Public Sector spends about $29 billion on goods and services. The province is leveraging this to help grow Ontario’s local businesses, including technology and manufacturing sectors.
Supply Ontario is a provincial agency created to address challenges faced in the public sector supply chain system. Supply Ontario works with partners to transform and modernize the procurement process to benefit the economy and businesses across the province.
“Small businesses are the backbone of our economy with over 400,000 businesses operating in our province, employing more than 2 million people. This new regulation will mean more opportunity for every one of our Ontario businesses and a brighter economic future we can all be proud of. “– Nina Tangri, Associate Minister, Small Business
