Changes to how the Regional District of Nanaimo acquires goods and services are intended to bolster the "buy Canadian" philosophy.
At their board meeting July 8, RDN directors looked over a 'Buy Canadian' implementation strategies report and unanimously approved two of its recommendations.
The first defines a local vendor as one that is physically situated in the RDN, B.C. or Canada "that employs Canadians and has assets in Canada utilized in carrying out its business functions.” The second recommendation is a change to a clause that awards a bid to a respondent that meets the local vendor criteria if the bids are otherwise the same.
Christina Crabtree, the RDN's general manager of corporate and transportation services, said detailing what constitutes a domestic vendor is significant.
"The local definition is important because many of the other recommendations could be handled in practice, as opposed to changing the policy," she said. "That allows for greater flexibility in terms of how that may be applied in the future."
In 2024, for deals of $25,000 or more, the RDN spent $1.3 million with United States vendors, close to $10 million with out-of-province Canadian vendors, approximately $42 million with B.C. vendors outside the RDN, and close to $33 million within the RDN region, according to the report.
The report also noted the RDN is part of three trade agreements initiated by the B.C. and Canadian governments where there are "procurement obligations," including the New West Partnership Trade Agreement between B.C. Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, the Canadian Free Trade Agreement between all Canadian provinces and territories, and the Comprehensive Economic Trade Agreement between Canada and Europe.
Directors had requested the report back in February.
