(MBC NEWS FILE PHOTO)
Renfrew’s mayor is trusting town staff to stay their course as the Province of Ontario turns up the heat in the ongoing trade dispute with the United States.
Municipal Affairs Minister Rob Flack informed municipalities in a letter sent last week that they are expected to follow Buy Ontario policies and prioritize Ontario and Canadian products in their procurement processes or risk potentially losing provincial funding streams.
The message spurred a meeting between Mayor Tom Sidney, CAO Eric Withers, and Town Treasurer Andrew Hodge for another deep dive into the Buy Ontario Act, which items are exempt from the policy, and the town’s staff’s ongoing compliance.
Flack’s letter says adhering to domestic procurement is “an absolute must” in light of another round of U.S. tariffs and what he calls “anti-trade actions” against Canada, pointing out that Ontario’s municipalities spend $22 billion annually securing goods and services.
Locally, Sidney does not expect the sudden crack down on American options to have a major impact as long as the town does its due diligence.
He adds that the message is a reminder to keep thinking closer to home when it comes to securing the resources they need to maintain services and complete projects around town.
“In the face of these unprecedented economic attacks against our province and country, we all have a responsibility to do everything within our control to protect our workers and communities,” says Flack in his letter to municipalities. “Following Buy Ontario procurement policies can make the difference for an Ontario company that might otherwise be forced to close its doors or lay off workers because of tariffs.”
(written by Kasey Egan)
