The Town of Niagara-on-the-Lake has approved a Canadian purchasing policy, but it’ll still be a while before any action is taken.
As is often the case in NOTL, council is waiting on a staff report.
U.S. President Donald Trump imposed 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian goods on March 4, after a month-long delay, prompting Canada to retaliate.
On March 6, the U.S. paused tariffs on some Canadian goods until April 2, but only those compliant with the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement.
Responding to the situation, Coun. Sandra O’Connor reflected Welland’s earlier move and proposed a temporary procurement policy, to favour Canadian products and services — just a week before tariffs would take effect, on Feb. 25. The motion was passed unanimously.
To support Canadian businesses and protect its economy from U.S. tariffs, the mayor of Welland, Frank Campion, quickly directed staff to create a temporary policy that focuses on buying Canadian-made products.
“I am exercising the strong mayor powers under the Municipal Act, 2001 to direct staff to investigate,” Campion stated in the directive.
Other municipalities, like NOTL, did not immediately use these powers, instead passing the motion later on through town council approval.
St. Catharines did the same. On March 17, its city council approved a temporary procurement policy to focus on buying Canadian.
In an interview with The Lake Report, O’Connor said she, too, was waiting for a progress update, but then remembered — staff still has to present a detailed report to council before the town will take any actual action.
There is no timeline for when staff will complete it.
The policy was updated in the first place to ensure all of the town’s procurement decisions prioritize Canadian-made goods and services, while also staying in line with trade agreements and existing policies, the motion states.
Such as preference being given to NOTL businesses first, followed by those in the Niagara region, and then Ontario-owned businesses.
The town’s new policy calls on federal and provincial governments to remove any barriers that prevent municipalities from choosing Canadian suppliers for projects and purchases.
It also urges these governments to keep working together to protect the Canadian economy.
This includes offering financial aid to businesses affected by tariffs, expanding export opportunities beyond the U.S. and pushing for tariff reductions to help Ontario stay competitive.
The motion states how deeply the town and region’s economy relies on U.S trade and the potential risks posed by the proposed tariffs, like how they could cost Ontario 500,000 jobs.
In 2023, 532 businesses in Niagara exported $5.9 billion worth of goods to the U.S. — which makes up 72 per cent of total exports from Niagara businesses.
In Niagara-on-the-Lake alone, more than 80 businesses export goods, supporting almost 1,700 jobs, according to the motion.
All levels of government have some kind of procurement policy to ensure things are done fairly and appropriately, O’Connor said.
This motion is a circumstantial update to the town’s current one, she said.
So, it’s the focus of the policy that has temporarily shifted, she said, from keeping costs down and promoting sustainability to simply just prioritizing Canadian providers.
The largest purchases the town makes are usually tied to major contracts like roadwork, infrastructure projects and services for stormwater and water systems, O’Connor said, adding that she’s unsure if the town has hired any outside-of-Canada companies in the past.
“I didn’t think I needed that information,” she said. “I think we just needed to say we support Canadian businesses.”
“The first purpose for me, I would say, is that every little bit helps band together,” she said. “But the second one is for us to stand up and say we’re Canadian and we’re going to support Canada.”
By making purchasing Canadian-made goods and services a priority, it can serve as a symbol of support for local businesses and national pride, she said.
O’Connor argues the policy itself acts as a statement of the town’s commitment to making its economy stronger and reducing reliance on external markets in light of tariffs. It symbolizes how the town protects its community and economy through intentional decision-making, she said.
Essentially, she said, it serves as a symbolic step toward town staff updating the policy.
The City of Welland announced its procurement policy update in early February. At that time Lord Mayor Gary Zalepa told The Lake Report that the town wasn’t rushing to follow suit but was monitoring the situation.
On Feb. 25, Zalepa backed the motion.
At the beginning of February, he said any changes would take time and require community input.
