For information on business opportunities in Canada, it is recommended to consult the website InfoMercatiEsteri, with a focus on the following sections:
In September 2020, the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation in collaboration with ITA, SACE and SIMEST created an unified portal dedicated to Italian exporters with information, data, and practical guidance on procedures, financing, and assistance for businesses: https://export.gov.it/.
Companies interested in exporting or importing goods and services to and from third-country markets (European and non-European) can also find useful information on the EU portal dedicated to commercial information for businesses that intend to internationalize Access2Markets.
For information on Canadian regulations regarding the establishment of an operational or commercial structure in Canada, from legal and tax requirements to labor law aspects, investment rules, and incentives offered by various administrations, please consult the ITA (Italian Trade Agency) website at the link: https://www.ice.it/en/markets/canada.
Business Matching
To find a commercial partner in Canada, it may be useful to register on the CDP Business Matching Platform aimed at fostering new collaboration opportunities between Italian and Canadian companies. This is a digital instrument that allows businesses to meet a selected network of international companies aligned with their growth plans. Registration is completely free.
Procurement Management System
In Canada, a variety of rules applies at the federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal levels. Additionally, the country has two different legal systems: common law and civil law. The former applies almost everywhere, both federally and in provinces and territories, excluding Québec, where the latter applies.
In Québec public procurement is specifically regulated by a dedicated law, along with implementing regulations and directives. Outside of Québec, there is no specific legislative act governing public procurement, but the system is based on a “governance” structure composed of a series of commercial agreements, government legislation, practices, and guidelines that rule the procurement processes of governmental and semi-governmental entities.
Regarding commercial agreements on this matter, it is worth mentioning:
- World Trade Organization’s Agreement on Government Procurement (WTO GPA);
- Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the European Union (CETA);
- Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA);
- Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement (CUSMA), which replaced NAFTA.
At the federal level, the general regulations applicable to public procurement are found primarily in the following legislative acts:
- Department of Public Works and Government Services Act;
- Financial Administration Act (FAA);
- Government Contracts Regulations;
- Federal Accountaility Act;
- Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act;
- Procurement Ombudsman Regulations.
Various federal practices and other provincial-level laws also apply.
Useful Tools and Resources
A unified platform has been launched by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC); it gathers all information regarding public tenders at the federal, provincial, territorial, and municipal levels. The official site is available at CanadaBuys. This resource, through free access, allows users to search for new tender opportunities and archived tenders in the dedicated section.
MERX is the national portal for the publication of public tender offers, where all contracts subject to current national and international regulations are advertised. The system is regularly used by various Ministries, Agencies, Government Bodies and other institutions to publicize any type of offer related to public procurement, which can be accessed by both Canadian and foreign companies.
The Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, in collaboration with the Italian Trade Agency, Assocamerestero, Unioncamere e Confindustria has launched the EX TENDER platform, where international tenders for goods supply, works, and services can be consulted.
The Embassy of Italy, in collaboration with Italian Trade Agency Offices in Toronto and Montreal, has created two guides – with the contribution of KPMG and law firm Blakes – on how to invest and participate in public tenders in Canada, informing the potential stakeholders on the current Canadian legal framework on the matter:
- The guide Italy: invest in Canada;
- The guide Government Procurement Guide.