On March 18, 2019, the Ontario Treasury Board announced a plan to centralize the province's
public sector procurement and create a more efficient delivery
process for goods and services. The province expects the initiative
will generate savings of $1 billion annually. The new system will
apply to Ontario ministries, provincial agencies, as well as
broader public sector (BPS) organizations, including hospitals,
universities and school boards.
The announcement included the implementation of interim measures, which
apply to both Ontario public service (OPS) entities, ministries and
agencies, and BPS organizations. The interim measures are designed
to help the Province gather information during the
transition. The interim measures, which include regular
reporting and limiting of long-term contracts, will be put in place
immediately to pave the way for collaborative purchasing, while
protecting continuity of business and services during the building
of a centralized