September 13, 2023
Ontario spends nearly $30 billion each year procuring goods and services, from pencils to complex medical technologies. When making those purchases, government and the broader public sector have a responsibility to provide value for taxpayers, as well as a unique ability to foster new markets, improved living standards, and economic development by virtue of their spending power. However, procurement outcomes are not being optimized in Ontario.
Today, the Ontario Chamber of Commerce released Power of the Purchase Order: Modernizing Public Sector Procurement in Ontario.
The brief, curated in response to ongoing consultations with industry experts, addresses the critical need for transformation in the province’s procurement practices.
Procurement modernization is a major opportunity to transform health care and other public services, build more resilient supply chains, and improve value for Ontarians. This brief assesses the current procurement challenges in Ontario and offers 23 recommendations to drive better outcomes across the broader public sector, with a particular focus on innovation, attracting investment from a range of businesses, and health care procurement.