Premier Doug Ford is promising to table legislation this month that will obligate publicly funded institutions and municipalities to prioritize Ontario-made products and services in response to the ongoing trade disputes with the United States.
The province will be pushing for a “Buy Ontario” approach when the legislature resumes in the coming weeks, Ford told reporters during an Oct. 7 press conference, saying cities, towns, and public agencies should prioritize Ontario bidders for public contracts.
The existing system in the province encourages publicly funded entities such as colleges or hospitals to give preference to local bidders, but other firms, including U.S. companies, can still secure contracts. Ford said his proposed legislation aims to strengthen the regulations, making it more challenging to do business with companies outside Ontario….