Ontario Construction News staff writer
Construction and heavy construction companies in Windsor-Essex are being encouraged to explore new procurement opportunities under Ontario’s Buy Ontario policy at an information session in Windsor tomorrow (Oct. 15).
Hosted by Senator Sandra Pupatello, the Windsor Construction Association and the Heavy Construction Association of Windsor, the session will bring together provincial officials from Infrastructure Ontario and Supply Ontario to explain procurement opportunities, recent policy changes and how local companies can compete for public-sector work.
The Ontario government is prioritizing Ontario and Canadian suppliers for spending across government and the broader public sector as part of its response to trade tensions between Canada and the United States, Pupatello said.
The province spends about $30 billion annually on goods and services, creating potential opportunities for construction firms and companies that support the industry.
“This is specifically for construction companies and companies that service construction, like after-market servicing of buildings, for example. All of these kinds of companies, mechanical and electrical — those are the types of companies that need to hear how this policy gives me an additional opportunity for business,” Pupatello said.
The session will address how companies can meet the new procurement requirements, register as suppliers and access work on larger projects, including opportunities to participate as subcontractors.
“How do I get into that subcontracting of these much larger bids? Those are huge opportunities for our companies. We want our companies to look for new opportunities now, especially in this very uneasy, uncertain world. We’ve got to find every opportunity for us to grow,” she said.
Infrastructure Ontario’s June 2026 capital project pipeline identifies 52 future capital repair projects in Southwestern Ontario, part of 132 projects across the province.
Pupatello said the province is putting policies in place to help businesses identify and pursue new work, and urged companies to take advantage of the opportunities available.
“Our companies need to take them. We’re not sure how long this uncertainty will go on for, so any chance to get new business, we need to take it,” she said.
The session will run from 9 to 11 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 15, at the Ciociaro Club, 3745 North Talbot Road in Oldcastle. The agenda includes information on supplier registration, recent procurement changes and a question-and-answer session with provincial representatives.
For more information, visit Windsor Construction Association.
