Ontario Construction News staff writer
With governments at all levels pledging major investments in infrastructure, a new industry-led guide is offering public owners practical tools to turn those commitments into on-the-ground results.
The Construction and Design Alliance of Ontario (CDAO) published its first Guide to Design and Construction Procurement Best Practices, a comprehensive resource aimed at improving how public infrastructure is planned, procured and delivered across the province. The guide was developed by leaders from Ontario’s construction, design, residential and municipal engineering sectors.
Ontario faces a growing infrastructure backlog as the province prepares for more than $250 billion in capital investments over the next decade. But fragmented procurement practices across 444 municipalities and numerous public agencies are slowing project timelines and adding unnecessary cost, the Alliance says.
“Governments at every level are saying the same thing: we want to build,” said CDAO chair Nadia Todorova. “This guide is about helping them do just that — by giving public owners the tools to deliver projects faster, more efficiently and more sustainably.”
The document outlines several key recommendations to streamline processes and create more predictable, collaborative project environments. They include:
Standardizing contracts and specifications to reduce red tape, limit disputes and shorten delivery schedules.
Early project planning and industry engagement to avoid costly changes and delays.
Selecting the right procurement model — whether Design-Bid-Build, Design-Build, Construction Management at Risk or Integrated Project Delivery — based on the project’s complexity and risk profile.
Assigning and managing risk appropriately, ensuring responsibilities rest with the parties best equipped to manage them.
Fostering a culture of innovation and adaptability while maintaining transparency and accountability.
Todorova said the guide reflects “the collective expertise of Ontario’s builders, designers, and public owners working together to build better.”
Written by retired engineer and former ACEC-Ontario executive director Bruce G. Matthews, P.Eng., the guide is intended as a living document that will evolve with industry needs and emerging best practices. It targets municipalities, provincial agencies and other public-sector buyers seeking consistent, modern procurement approaches.
The full guide is available here.