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ARTICLE · 20 AUGUST 2026

Update: Small Business Procurement Program Launches As Buy Canadian Reforms Expand

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The federal government has launched the first phase of its new Small Business Procurement Program ("SBPP"), forming part of the government's broader procurement modernization initiatives, including recent changes to its Buy Canadian framework.

CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Marcia Mills
Marcia Mills
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The federal government has launched the first phase of its new Small Business Procurement Program ("SBPP"), forming part of the government's broader procurement modernization initiatives, including recent changes to its Buy Canadian framework.

What We Know

The federal government has announced the first phase of the SBPP and additional procurement modernization measures. The announcement confirms the following changes:

Small Business Procurement Program

  • Applies to businesses with 499 employees or fewer, including affiliates and qualifying joint ventures.
  • Includes several measures for procurements valued between $10,000 and $5 million, including:
    • A mandatory Small Business Lens requiring contracting authorities to design procurement opportunities with small businesses in mind and to ensure that procurement requirements are proportionate to the value and complexity of the procurement;

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