When Essex County Council was presented with the report “Implementation of Buy Ontario Public Procurement Requirements” for information at the August 5 meeting, Amherstburg Deputy Mayor Chris Gibb questioned the “preferential treatment” to a supplier that has a higher Buy Ontario percentage for its service or product.
He wondered if that meant the County could spend a lot more for a service or product for a negligible Buy Ontario percentage. For instance, he said, that product or service could cost a lot more and only bring that Buy Ontario percentage up a percentage point or two.
“That seems a little bit counterintuitive to me,” Gibb said, noting he had concerns that the County could spend more on a product or service for a negligible difference with an Ontario-made percentage.
Director of Financial Services, Melissa Ryan, said that could be the case. She said there is a cap of 25%. The County has to follow the rules. If it is over 25%, then the County has discretion in not having to go with that highest-criteria supplier. With this policy, it will not always be able to move forward with the lowest bidder.
County staff members are tracking procurements made and will report back to County Council if any higher dollar value situations affect the County.
The directive establishes the framework to prioritize Ontario and Canadian goods and services in procurement across the public sector.
Information the County provided on the matter notes the Province of Ontario enacted the Buy Ontario Act (Public Sector Procurement), 2025 on December 11, 2025. The Municipal Buy Ontario Procurement Directive, which came into effect on April 13, 2026, applies to municipalities, local boards, and the broader public sector.
The Buy Ontario framework seeks to support Ontario and Canadian businesses, strengthen local supply chain security, enhance economic resilience, and maximize the economic benefits of public spending within the province.
The report notes that the County, through the Buy Ontario evaluation methodology, a 10% evaluation advantage to the proponent with the highest proportion of Ontario-Made Goods and Ontario Services identified in their Domestic Supply Chain Plan. The highest proportion receives a 10% reduction in price for evaluation purposes only, which does not change the actual contract price.
The County has applied Buy Ontario evaluation methods in two infrastructure procurements involving demolition and culvert replacement projects. Proponents were required to identify the proportion of Ontario-made goods and services included in their proposal through completing a Domestic Supply Chain Plan with their submission. Ryan added the County has not paid more for something yet.
Amherstburg Mayor Michael Prue said the legislation runs contrary to everything that municipalities have been doing for years – looking for the lowest bidder and the best value. He believes a strongly worded letter should be written to the Province on that.
He also believes the policy, because of those concerns, was not well thought out.
CAO Sandra Zwiers suggested the local municipalities also track that data, so they have information for advocacy campaigns in the future.
Essex Deputy Mayor Rob Shepley, after hearing the conversation that night and talking to developers, said there seems to be discrepancies in how proposals are accepted. He wondered if there is a mechanism for a company bidding to challenge the selection process to guarantee the level of Ontario-made is being met.
“It seems very, very messy to me,” he said.
Ryan said companies do have to attest to their bid. The approach the County is taking, however, is not to question anything. Just like any Request for Tender or Request for Proposal, if there is something controversial, it would be looked into at that point.
County Solicitor, David Sundin, added there are mechanisms within the procedures and policies to allow someone to challenge how a decision was made.
By Sylene Argent, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Original Published on Aug 12, 2026 at 12:17
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