CCI Statement on the Federal Buy Canadian Procurement Announcement for SMEs

Today, Joël Lightbound, Minister of Government Transformation, Public Works and Procurement and Québec Lieutenant, announced a set of federal procurement measures focused on reducing barriers for small and medium‑sized businesses to do business with government and expanding ISED’s Innovative Solutions Canada program. In response, CCI Vice President of Policy and Advocacy Laurent Carbonneau issued the following statement:

"Every global Canadian company started as a small business. Public procurement can be a critical lever for SMEs to scale, and the market for public procurement represents a share of Canada’s GDP comparable to the natural resources sector. When deployed strategically, government buying power can scale Canadian innovators, open domestic and international markets, and modernize public services for greater efficiency and impact.

"One of the principal barriers holding back Canadian firms is access to customers. For years, CCI has called for practical reforms to cumbersome and overly bureaucratic procurement practices that too often reward slow-moving incumbents, shut out innovators, and deliver subpar results. Today’s measures set the stage, but outcome‑focused implementation is required to ensure Canadian SMEs can compete and win government business.

"Today’s announcement is a welcome step toward a more flexible procurement system, creating the conditions for public buying to better enable Canadian innovators to compete and scale. CCI stands ready to work with Minister Lightbound, Minister Joly, and public service officials to ensure these commitments become concrete results: streamlined processes, transparent evaluation criteria, and procurement that prioritizes value, innovation, and scale for Canadian SMEs. If implemented with rigour and transparency, these reforms can be a turning point for Canadian innovation, job creation, and public service delivery."
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Media Contact:
Lisa Brody Hoffman
Director of Communications
‍lhoffman@canadianinnovators.org