Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief responds to proposed Buy Ontario Act – ElliotLakeToday.com
Nov. 26, 2025
‘Narrow emphasis on immediate procurement policies reveals a significant oversight: the failure to recognize and capitalize on the substantial economic potential of First Nations procurement strategies’
The Government of Ontario’s recent focus on the proposed Buy Ontario Act, 2025, underscores its commitment to prioritizing Ontario-made goods and services in public procurement, ostensibly to protect local workers and bolster the economy. However, this narrow emphasis on immediate procurement policies reveals a significant oversight: the failure to recognize and capitalize on the substantial economic potential of First Nations procurement strategies.
“First Nations represent a multi-billion-dollar economic opportunity that Ontario has just ignored. Indigenous-owned businesses and suppliers possess the capacity to contribute significantly to Ontario’s infrastructure, manufacturing, forestry, and resource sectors,” states Anishinabek Nation Grand Council Chief Linda Debassige. “By not actively integrating First Nation procurement into its broader economic and infrastructure plans, the province of Ontario is missing out on a chance to foster true First Nation economic development, create sustainable jobs, and build lasting partnerships that can benefit all Ontarians.”
