New Ethical Purchasing Rules for Government Clothing
Ontario Helping to Protect Vulnerable Workers
Ontario is introducing new rules for procuring government clothing to ensure it is purchasing goods from manufacturers who follow their local laws regarding the ethical treatment of their employees.
The province will now require its clothing vendors to confirm their products are made in compliance with all local laws governing labour and working conditions. Vendors must also provide the names and addresses of all production facilities they use for the clothing they supply, and the government will make the information available to the public. The new requirements are mandatory for clothing purchases at or above $5,000, and contracts may be cancelled if they are not met.
Ensuring more ethical, transparent procurement processes is part of Ontario’s economic plan to invest in people, build modern infrastructure and support a dynamic and innovative business climate.
QUICK FACTS
- Ontario’s procurement policy sets mandatory requirements for government employees and vendors interested in doing business with the government.
- On average, the government does business with over 50,000 suppliers every year, and about 87 per cent of the goods and services bought by the government are supplied by vendors from Ontario.
- The Province of Manitoba, State of Maine, City of Los Angeles, City of Ottawa, and City of Toronto also have ethical sourcing objectives and requirements.
