We know a good project uses great materials, but successful construction projects begin well before our trucks show up with planning, sourcing, estimating and understanding exactly what a bid requires.
As Buy Ontario and Buy Canadian procurement requirements change how domestic products, suppliers and economic contribution are considered on applicable public-sector projects, contractors are working through new questions.
At Hewson Brothers Building Supply, we want to help our customers find the answers, and make the process easier.
Listening, Learning and Bringing the Right People Together
Recently, members of our team attended a panel at Kitchener City Hall featuring provincial and federal government representatives discussing Buy Ontario and Buy Canadian procurement requirements.
Several of our general contractor customers were also in attendance. Hearing their questions alongside the government’s explanations gave us a valuable opportunity to better understand both the policies and their practical impact on bidding.
For an estimator working toward a submission deadline, these requirements create very concrete questions: Where is a particular product manufactured? What documentation is available? Does the proposed material meet the tender’s requirements? What happens if the source changes or a substitution is needed?
Understanding those challenges helps us identify where we can provide meaningful support.
What the Changes Mean for Contractors
Ontario’s capital infrastructure procurement requirements prioritize Ontario and Canadian-made goods and services on covered public-sector projects. Domestic Supply Chain Plans help identify the sources of major goods and services, with procurement documents establishing how domestic sourcing will be evaluated or what commitments bidders must make. Federal Buy Canadian policies have separate requirements and thresholds.
For our customers, the takeaway is straightforward: reliable sourcing information deserves attention early in the bidding process.
Product performance, price and availability remain essential considerations. Manufacturing origin and supporting documentation can also play a significant role, depending on the project.
A supplier who understands those needs can help contractors prepare a more complete, better-supported submission.
Turning Conversations into Practical Support
We see an opportunity to strengthen the connection between our customers, manufacturers, construction associations and government representatives.
Each brings a different part of the picture. Contractors understand the pressures of preparing bids and delivering projects. Manufacturers can confirm product origins and provide supporting declarations. Associations help share information and bring common industry questions forward. Government representatives can explain policy expectations and direct businesses to relevant guidance.
By helping facilitate those conversations, we can turn questions into useful information that reaches the people who need it.
Our next step is to explore a more organized way of gathering manufacturing-location information and attestations from our vendors, starting with frequently specified products.
The goal is to reduce the time customers spend searching for documents and give our account managers another practical tool to support project enquiries.
Clear Information Builds Confidence
Accuracy will be central to this work.
Canadian ownership and Canadian manufacturing are separate facts. Product origin can also vary by SKU, size, facility or shipment. That makes product-specific information, and confirmation of the source being supplied, especially valuable.
By working closely with manufacturers and our customers, we can help identify suitable material options, flag information that needs confirmation and support sourcing decisions before bid deadlines.
Every tender has its own requirements. Our role is to help customers access the product information they need to prepare stronger bids and follow through on their sourcing commitments.
Supporting Projects That Support Our Communities
As an independent, Ontario-owned building supply company, we believe local relationships have lasting value.
Choosing domestic products and working with local businesses can support manufacturing, employment and investment in the communities where we live and build.
These procurement changes create an opportunity to make that contribution more visible, and to strengthen the relationships that help our industry move forward.
For Hewson Brothers, supporting customers means staying informed, listening to their challenges and doing the work to make material sourcing smoother. We want to help contractors prepare to win more bids while keeping the local economy part of the conversation.
Navigating Buy Ontario or Buy Canadian requirements on an upcoming project? Connect with your Hewson Brothers account manager and share the sourcing or documentation challenges you’re facing. Your feedback will help shape how we support our customers next.
