Canadian government unveils Better Buying initiatives to increase efficiency across $22bn of annual spending

This week in Ottawa, Parliamentary Secretary Steven MacKinnon, on behalf of the Honourable Carla Qualtrough, Minister of Public Services and Procurement and Accessibility, unveiled the government’s new plan to revolutionise the Canadian government’s federal procurement process.

Federal departments and agencies across Canada reportedly purchase an average of CAD$22bn worth of goods and services in order to provide programs and municipal services to the country’s citizens.

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The new procurement plan is intended to make federal procurement processes simpler, more efficient and more accessible for all suppliers and buyers. The series of initiatives, called Better Buying, includes the implementation of an electronic procurement solution, the development of enhanced tools to track and manage vendor performance, simplified contracts, updates made to the guide for procurement pricing, the establishment of an Accessibility Procurement Resource Centre, and projects to increase participation of under-represented groups and Indigenous-led businesses in federal procurement.

MacKinnon said at the Federal Supply Chain Summit in Ottawa: "Our government is creating a world-class, accessible procurement system to deliver better results for Canadians and make it easier for Canadian companies to do business with the government. Better Buying is our plan to enhance our procurement system and leverage federal purchasing power for the greater good."