Adhoc Supplier Advisory Committee: September 5, 2025
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Agenda
Meeting location: Virtual (online)
| Time (ET) | Subject | Presenter |
| 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. | Welcome and Opening remarks | PSPC |
|---|---|---|
| Overview of the Expanded Buy Canadian Strategy announcement | PSPC | |
| PSPC’s Lead Role and Key Measures | PSPC | |
| Implementation Timeline and Next Steps | PSPC | |
| Buy Canada Information Sessions | PSPC | |
| Closing Remarks and Follow-Up Actions | PSPC |
Record of discussion
September 5, 2025, from 1:30 to 2:15 p.m. ET
Attendees
Co-chairs: Present
- Public Service and Procurement Canada (PSPC), Dominic Laporte, Senior Assistant Deputy Minister (SADM), Procurement Branch (PB)
Member organizations: Present
- Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC): Louis-Charles Roy, delegate for Dwayne Lucas, Vice President, Special Projects
- Canadian Aboriginal and Minority Supplier Council (CAMSC): Cassandra Dorrington, President & CEO
- Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI): Nicolas Todd, Vice President, Government Relations and Communications
- Canadian Association of Defence and Security Industries (CADSI): Mindy Pearce, Policy Advisor
- Canadian Association of Management Consultants (CMC-Canada): Chris Harper, Executive Director
- Canadian Association of Management Consultants (CMC-Canada): Sandy Moir, Partner at Goss Gilroy Inc. Management Consultants
- Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC): Alex Greco, Senior Director, Manufacturing & Value Chains and David Pierce
- Canadian Chamber of Commerce (CCC): David Pierce
- Canadian Federation of Independent Business (CFIB): Michelle Auger, Manager, National Business Issues and Projects
- Canadian Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (CGLCC): Darrell Schuurman, Co-Founder and CEO
- Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters (CME): Ryan Greer, Vice President, Public Affairs & National Policy
- Women’s Business Enterprises Canada Council (WBE Canada): Jennifer Mullin Popowycz, Director of Certification and Community, WBE Canada
Member organizations: Absent
- Council for the Advancement of Native Development Officers (CANDO): Ray Wanuch, Executive Director
- TECHNATION, Prateek Sureka, Executive Vice President, Government Relations, and Strategy
Guests:
- PSPC, Levent Ozmutlu, Director General, SPS
- PSPC, Ricardo Seoane, Executive Director, SPS
Supplier Advisory Committee secretariat
- PSPC, Marie-Claude Hurens, A/Director General, PAC
- PSPC, Aline Ngarukiyintwali, Manager, Inreach, SERC
- PSPC, Fresnel Devalon, Inreach, SERC
- PSPC, Alfred Ogbumor, Inreach, SERC
- PSPC, Paula McLenaghan, PCE, SERC
Welcoming and opening remarks
The government co-chair welcomed and thanked everyone for their participation despite the short notice call.
Key Highlights
Overview of the Expanded Buy Canadian Strategy announcement
The Prime Minister announced new procurement measures to support Canadian businesses, especially SMEs and key sectors like steel and softwood lumber. A new Buy Canadian Policy will prioritize domestic suppliers and materials across federal procurement and funding programs, with collaboration from provinces and Crown corporations. The Interim Reciprocal Procurement Policy is already in effect, excluding non-trading partner suppliers from certain contracts. This marks a clear shift toward strengthening Canada’s economic resilience—even if it challenges trade agreements.
PSPC’s Lead Role and Key Measures
The government co-chair reiterated that efforts are underway to explore how Canadian suppliers can be prioritized in procurement processes. This includes awarding evaluation points to Canadian suppliers, benefiting Canadian producers, and prioritizing domestically sourced goods and services. Requirements will apply not only to goods but also to services—such as IT support provided by companies employing Canadians.
Implementation Timeline and Next Steps
Starting the week of September 8, the government co-chair confirmed that all procurement activities will be monitored to identify opportunities for incorporating Canadian components. Mandatory requirements will be introduced for softwood lumber, and steel within the supply chain. These materials must be Canadian-produced, and the policy supporting this requirement is expected to be unveiled in the coming weeks.
Implementing these requirements across the supply chain poses challenges, particularly in terms of verification and compliance. Nonetheless, the commitment to Canadian content remains firm.
Buy Canadian: Accessing Federal Procurement Opportunities Sessions
The government co-chair reiterated that the success of the Buy Canadian Policy depends on ongoing collaboration with key stakeholders, including provincial and territorial governments, Crown corporations, and industry partners. PSPC will continue to engage with these groups to gather feedback and promote awareness of upcoming opportunities.
Engagement sessions will be held in major cities across Canada, both in-person and virtually. Each session will help businesses understand and leverage the new procurement landscape. These sessions will also serve as a platform for dialogue, ensuring that the policy is responsive to the needs of Canadian businesses.
Closing Remarks and Follow-Up Actions: SME Procurement Priorities
The government co-chair concluded by reaffirming a strong desire to make federal procurement more agile and accessible for SMEs. In recognition of the barriers faced by small businesses in accessing government contracts, the government is actively exploring the implementation of set-asides and other preferential measures to promote equitable participation and enhance competitiveness.
These enhancements aim to reduce barriers and create more opportunities for SMEs to participate in federal procurement, thereby strengthening the Canadian supply chain and promoting economic resilience.
Roundtable Discussion
CADSI expressed strong support for the Buy Canadian Policy, noting its alignment with long-standing advocacy efforts. They look forward to contributing to its development and raised questions about the definitions of Canadian suppliers and SMEs, as well as how Canadian content will be determined. They also flagged challenges in identifying suppliers and understanding their strategic capabilities in advance.
AIAC raised defence-specific concerns, particularly around steel and aluminum inputs not produced in Canada. They noted that the small size of the aerospace market makes it hard for Canadian producers to justify manufacturing changes, and that certification timelines can be lengthy. They emphasized that these supplier-side challenges must be considered in policy design.
CCC referred to the Prime Minister’s backgrounder focused on defence and questioned whether the policy could extend to digital services and other sectors. They raised concerns about procurement thresholds and industry input, noting the current $130,000 threshold and the need to avoid barriers to Canadian content.
CME welcomed the government’s willingness to take trade risks to support Canadian suppliers. They stressed the importance of clear implementation and reporting mechanisms and highlighted the need to communicate policy impacts effectively to their members.
CFIB expressed enthusiasm but sought clarity on how the policy differs from the Interim Reciprocal Procurement Policy. They raised concerns about low-dollar value contracts under $10,000, bundled contracts that exclude SMEs, and federal purchases from U.S. companies. They urged the federal government to set a standard for others, including municipalities.
CAMSC emphasized the need to clearly define Canadian suppliers, especially in joint ventures with international firms. They asked about alignment with the social procurement strategy and whether support measures for historically underrepresented suppliers are being considered.
CMC-Canada echoed CCC’s concerns and noted that many qualified tech SMEs avoid federal procurement due to complexity and branding issues. They called for simplified access and asked how the policy connects to the Defence and Industrial Benefits Strategy, including support for suppliers transitioning from foreign certification processes.
PSPC acknowledged the importance of supporting small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) through federal procurement and emphasized the need to define clear key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure success. The department is exploring ways to assess the impact of the Buy Canadian Policy on SME revenue and participation. PSPC reiterated its commitment to streamlining procurement processes for SMEs, including pre-qualification mechanisms and more agile, risk-tolerant approaches to make it easier for them to do business with the Government of Canada.
PSPC shared that Phase 1 of the Reciprocal Procurement Policy, targeting low-value contracts, is underway. Phase 2, launching in spring, will focus on the origin of goods and supply chains. This phased approach allows for preferential treatment of Canadian suppliers and excludes those from non-trade agreement countries, strengthening domestic procurement.
In response to questions on social procurement, PSPC confirmed ongoing efforts to support supplier diversity and underrepresented SMEs. These initiatives are being integrated into the broader SME program to maintain momentum and avoid duplication, while advancing the Buy Canadian agenda.
Addressing CMC-Canada’s concerns, PSPC noted that while it’s early to provide specifics, the government aims to take a holistic approach to defence procurement. They acknowledged potential challenges with foreign testing requirements and committed to further exploration.
PSPC recognized the complexity of federal procurement and is working to streamline processes and better align them with grants and contributions. Building on feedback from engagement sessions held jointly with Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada (ISED) last summer, the department is focused on making procurement more accessible for SMEs.
Responding to CFIB’s concerns, PSPC acknowledged that contract structures often exclude SMEs. They are encouraging departments to adopt a “shop local” approach for LDV contracts and working to reduce the reporting burden for Canadian content. PSPC also agreed on the importance of setting a standard that other governments, including municipalities, can follow.
PSPC concluded by reaffirming its commitment to ongoing engagement with stakeholders. The department plans to leverage Procurement Assistance Canada (PAC) events across the country to inform businesses about the Buy Canadian strategy and collect feedback to refine its approach. A schedule of events will be posted on CanadaBuys and shared with stakeholders to encourage participation and dissemination. PSPC thanked all participants for their contributions and emphasized the collective effort required to support Canadian businesses and SMEs through this policy journey.