Last year, the Ontario government introduced the Building Ontario Businesses Initiative (BOBI), a strategic effort to bolster the province’s economic growth and enhance supply chain resilience. The BOBI initiative, which was originally outlined in the Fewer Fees, Better Services Act, 2022, has led to the enactment of the Building Ontario Businesses Initiative Act, 2022. This legislation mandates that public sector entities prioritize Ontario businesses when procuring goods and services below a specified threshold amount. Scheduled to come into effect on January 1, 2024, the BOBI Act will be applicable across all public sector procurements, including ministries, agencies, hospitals, school boards, universities, and various other institutions.
OECM has actively engaged with the Ontario government on the initiative, participating in an information session and numerous consultation sessions, to comprehensively understand BOBI’s detailed aspects and learn how we can best support our customers during the roll-out. In the coming months, OECM’s Strategic Sourcing team will continue to work alongside the Ontario government to ensure our procurement processes seamlessly integrate with BOBI’s requirements.
