Public procurement in Canada entered a new phase in 2025. In Public Procurement 2025 Year in Review, McCarthy Tétrault’s Public Procurement Group distils these developments into practical takeaways for public entities and suppliers, highlighting how 2025’s reforms, investigations and rulings will influence competitions, contract management and dispute risk in the years ahead.
Domestic preference and fast‑tracked projects
At the federal level, the Carney government’s Buy Canadian policy suite, AI strategy and integrity reforms pushed procurement to the centre of economic and governance agendas. Provinces moved in parallel: Ontario advanced a “Buy Ontario” framework, new restriction and preference tools, and major infrastructure and energy initiatives, while Québec and British Columbia introduced fast‑track regimes to accelerate priority projects. Across the country, governments are using procurement not just to acquire goods and services, but to drive industrial policy, supply‑chain resilience, and environmental and social objectives.
Heightened legal, integrity and oversight risk
At the same time, legal and integrity risks intensified. Key Canadian International Trade Tribunal and court decisions clarified when authorities must investigate “red flags” in bids, reinforced bidders’ responsibility to comply strictly with solicitation requirements, and refined the scope of judicial review and damages in procurement disputes. Oversight bodies also took a more assertive stance: high‑profile matters such as the Alberta Health Services procurement scandal, Competition Act pleas involving Manitoba social housing contracts and evolving decisions of Québec’s Autorité des marchés publics underscored that governance failures and collusion in public tenders will attract sustained regulatory, political and media scrutiny.
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McCarthy Tétrault’s Public Procurement Group consists of more than 25 lawyers nationally. Our principal areas of practice include project development, Technology, Energy, Infrastructure, International Trade & Investment, Tax, and Public Law. Our procurement lawyers provide end-to-end legal support for both buyers and sellers, ensuring compliance, mitigating risks, and securing cost savings. We assist private sector companies and government entities at all levels in drafting RFPs, negotiating contracts, and handling bid disputes. Whether you’re selling to or purchasing from Canadian markets, we help you navigate procurement agreements, optimize contracts, and resolve challenges efficiently. Procurement is evolving rapidly, with increasing regulatory complexity, heightened competition, and greater scrutiny from shareholders, management, and the media. As governing bodies continually change procurement rules, businesses must navigate these changes strategically to minimize risks and maximize opportunities