Notice was given of Regional Councillor DiPaola’s intention to bring the following motion forward for consideration at the May 7, 2026 Committee of the Whole meeting:
Motion for Supporting Canadian, Ontario, and York Region Suppliers through Procurement Policies in Response to Trade Tariff Impacts and the Buy Ontario Act (Public Sector Procurement), 2025
WHEREAS trade tariffs and related economic disruptions are putting pressure on suppliers, increasing costs, and creating uncertainty within supply chains used by The Regional Municipality of York;
WHEREAS the Province of Ontario has introduced the Buy Ontario Act (Public Sector Procurement), 2025, with proposed regulations designating municipalities and local boards as prescribed public sector entities and establishing directives to prioritize Ontario-made goods and services in capital infrastructure and construction procurement;
WHEREAS the Buy Ontario Act consultation emphasizes the need for clear and consistent definitions of domestic content, Canadian ownership, Ontario-based labour, manufacturing criteria, and proportional Ontario economic contribution to ensure procurement policies achieve meaningful economic outcomes;
WHEREAS York Regional Council has taken steps to promote, provide support to, and purchase from local York Region suppliers, including amendments to the Procurement Bylaw, tariff relief motions, supplier diversification efforts, and initiatives such as the #MadeInYR campaign;
WHEREAS York Region has also advanced complementary measures such as adjusting procurement thresholds to better align with trade treaty rules while creating greater flexibility for local sourcing;
WHEREAS neighbouring municipalities such as Peel Region have already adopted procurement direction emphasizing local, Ontario, and Canadian suppliers, and are reducing reliance on foreign-sourced goods where feasible and consistent with trade obligations;
WHEREAS additional action is needed to ensure York Region's procurement processes prioritize Canadian and Ontario suppliers, while also encouraging innovation, promoting sustainability, extending asset life, and reducing long-term risks;
WHEREAS the Buy Ontario Act framework must apply uniformly across all procurement and delivery models, including Design Bid Build, Construction Management, and Alternative Financing and Procurement, to prevent gaps that undermine policy objectives;
WHEREAS clear procurement evaluation criteria are needed to distinguish Canadian-owned companies that retain economic value, decision-making authority, and investment within Ontario from foreign-owned multinational firms operating Canadian sales offices while manufacturing, controlling capital, and retaining profits outside of Canada;
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED
1. Staff be directed to review existing procurement policies, evaluation criteria, and supplier engagement practices to prioritize Canadian, Ontarian, and local York Region suppliers where feasible, cost-effective, sustainable, and consistent with trade obligations; and
2. York Region endorses the use of procurement evaluation frameworks that:
- Give preference to Canadian content as well as Ontario and York Region suppliers;
- Recognize Canadian ownership and distinguish between Canadian-owned firms and foreign-controlled entities operating local offices;
- Consider proportional Ontario economic contribution including Ontario-based labour, engineering, fabrication, quality assurance, technical services, and value-added processing;
- Recognize the benefits of innovation, sustainability, risk reduction, and extending asset life;
- Provided such criteria are consistent with applicable laws and trade obligations; and
3. Staff be directed to research innovative and sustainable Ontario suppliers and Canadian-made alternatives and include in future procurement reports an assessment of opportunities to leverage these suppliers in York Region contracts, including analysis of:
- Canadian-owned enterprises based in Ontario with Ontario workforce and operations;
- Suppliers investing in domestic manufacturing capacity and onshoring initiatives;
- Companies conducting engineering, product development, fabrication, and last-mile processing in Ontario;
4. Staff report back to Council in the fourth quarter with options, including:
- Draft amendments to the procurement bylaw or processes that would implement domestic content evaluation criteria and scoring methodologies consistent with the Buy Ontario Act directives;
- Requirements for Domestic Supply Chain Plans for major goods and services in capital infrastructure procurement, with practical thresholds and standardized evaluation approaches;
- Tiered prioritization processes to guide procurement decisions while maintaining compliance with trade obligations;
- Analysis of costs, risks, supplier availability, long-term asset lifecycle benefits, and potential impacts on project delivery timelines;
- Training and implementation supports for procurement staff to ensure effective policy application; and
5. That the direction in this motion remain in place during such time as U.S. tariffs are in effect and align with provincial Buy Ontario Act implementation timelines.