Buy Ontario: requirements for suppliers

What does Ontario's Buy Ontario framework require of suppliers?

Ontario's Building Ontario Businesses Initiative, sometimes called “Buy Ontario”, directs Ontario public sector entities to prioritize goods and services from Ontario-based suppliers where it's practical to do so. The exact scope, covered entities and any dollar thresholds are set out on Ontario's own procurement pages, which suppliers should check directly since these details change.

Dernière mise à jour : 18 septembre 2026

What the initiative asks of public buyers

It asks provincial ministries, agencies and other public sector entities within its scope to give preference to Ontario-based businesses when procuring goods and services, consistent with Ontario's trade obligations under agreements like the Canadian Free Trade Agreement. The current list of covered entities and any exemptions is published on Ontario's Building Ontario Businesses Initiative page.

What counts as an Ontario-based supplier

Ontario publishes its own definition and evidence requirements for this initiative, separate from the Competition Bureau's “Made in Canada” labelling thresholds and separate from the federal Buy Canadian Policy's definition of a Canadian supplier. Ask the contracting entity which definition applies to a specific bid before relying on any one of them.

Municipalities are generally separate

Municipalities are their own procuring entities with their own purchasing bylaws and policies; the provincial initiative's scope is described on Ontario's page above. A supplier bidding on municipal work should confirm that municipality's own local-preference policy, if it has one, directly with its procurement office rather than assuming the provincial initiative applies.

What suppliers should have ready

Proof of an Ontario place of business, evidence of where the work is actually done, and — for a related “Made in Canada” product claim — the same cost and origin documentation described in Canadian content in procurement. Check Ontario's page on doing business with the Ontario government for current bid opportunities and requirements.

Questions courantes

Is “Buy Ontario” a legal certification a supplier can obtain?

No. It's a procurement preference public buyers apply, not a certification suppliers hold. There is no Checked Canadian check for it.

Does a federal Buy Canadian Policy supplier automatically qualify under Buy Ontario?

Not automatically. The two use different definitions and apply to different buyers — federal versus Ontario public sector entities. Confirm the specific requirement with the entity running the procurement.

Sources

Cette page explique des lignes directrices publiques en langage clair. Ce n’est pas un avis juridique, et Checked Canadian n’est pas un organisme gouvernemental.

Vous pouvez citer cette réponse avec un lien vers cette page. Licence du texte : CC BY 4.0. Dernière mise à jour : 18 septembre 2026.