askTender tracks federal tenders on CanadaBuys. Provincial and municipal tenders, on portals such as MERX, BC Bid and SEAO, aren’t counted here.
Canadian federal procurement in one paragraph
Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) buys on behalf of most federal departments, about $55.6 billion of the $66.9 billion in federal contracts in 2024–25. The Government Contracts Regulations require competitive bids except in listed cases, and Treasury Board policy sets how departments buy. Canada’s trade agreements set the rules for larger contracts:
- Canadian Free Trade Agreement (CFTA): the domestic one.
- WTO Government Procurement Agreement (GPA).
- CETA, with the EU.
- CPTPP, the trans-Pacific partnership.
- Bilateral agreements with the UK, Ukraine, Korea and several Latin American countries.
CUSMA gives no procurement access between Canada and the US. US suppliers rely on the GPA. A new Defence Investment Agency, launched in October 2025, now runs major defence buys.
Where Canadian tenders are published
| Where | What’s on it |
|---|---|
| CanadaBuys (canadabuys.canada.ca) | The official home of every federal tender and award notice since 2022, plus standing offers and supply arrangements. |
| Open data | CanadaBuys tender notices, award notices and contract history, downloadable as CSV files. |
| Provincial and municipal portals | Such as MERX, BC Bid, the Ontario Tenders Portal and SEAO (Québec). Provinces, municipalities, universities, school boards and hospitals buy under their own rules and the trade agreements. |
Federal tenders typically give 41 days from publication to deadline.
Open tenders by type
830 open in Canada todayThe thresholds in 2026
From 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2027, the trade agreements apply to federal departments above these values:
| Agreement | Goods | Services | Construction |
|---|---|---|---|
| CFTA (domestic) | $34,700 | $139,000 | $139,000 |
| WTO GPA, CETA, Canada–UK, Canada–Ukraine, CPTPP | $239,200 | $239,200 | $9,200,000 |
| Canada–Korea | $100,000 | $100,000 | $9,200,000 |
| Chile, Colombia, Honduras, Panama | $145,900 | $145,900 | $9,200,000 |
| Peru | $174,800 | $174,800 | $9,200,000 |
Crown corporations have higher thresholds. Provinces use the same CFTA values for their departments, and $139,000 (goods and services) or $347,400 (construction) for municipalities and the broader public sector.
How contracts are procured
- Competitive solicitations: requests for proposals (RFPs) and invitations to tender. 78% of PSPC’s procurement processes were competitive in 2024–25.
- Advance Contract Award Notice (ACAN): the department posts its intention to award to a named supplier for at least 15 days. If another supplier shows it can meet the requirement, the department must run a full competition. Watch for ACANs in your field.
- Standing offers: fixed-price offers that departments call up as needed. Each call-up becomes a contract.
- Supply arrangements: pools of pre-qualified suppliers who then compete for specific needs. Getting onto one is often the way in.
Minimum solicitation periods:
- Under international agreements: 40 days, minus 5 days each for electronic notice, electronic documents and electronic bids, to a floor of 25 days.
- CFTA-only or no agreement: 15 days.
- Commercial goods and services can have shorter periods.
Buy Canadian: the 2025–2026 shift
The Buy Canadian Procurement Policy Framework took effect on 16 December 2025. It has four parts:
- Reciprocal procurement (since 14 July 2025): for non-defence federal buys over $10,000, suppliers from countries without procurement commitments to Canada are excluded unless an exception applies. Today it looks at where the supplier is located. A permanent version based on the origin of the goods and services was announced for 2026.
- Prioritising Canadian suppliers and content: for strategic procurements of $5 million or more (down from $25 million on 15 June 2026), only Canadian suppliers may bid, plus trading-partner suppliers where a trade agreement applies. Canadian suppliers get a 10% reduction in their evaluated price, and 25% of the evaluation goes to Canadian content. Strategic sectors include defence, health, infrastructure and construction, ICT, consumer and industrial goods, and related professional services.
- Canadian materials: construction and defence contracts of $25 million or more using at least $250,000 of steel, aluminium or wood must use Canadian-made materials where supply exists.
- Small business programme: launched in July 2026 for businesses with up to 499 employees, with simpler processes due by the end of 2026.
A Canadian supplier needs a permanent, identified place of business in Canada, open during normal hours. It can’t subcontract the work abroad so that little value is added in Canada. Some provinces have gone further: Ontario’s Buy Ontario directive, since April 2026, excludes US-headquartered businesses with fewer than 250 full-time employees in Canada.
What you need to bid
Registration. Register on SAP Business Network (Ariba) through CanadaBuys and complete the Government of Canada supplier questionnaire. The old Procurement Business Number has been retired. You need a Canada Revenue Agency business number if you win, and non-residents can get one.
Integrity. The federal Ineligibility and Suspension Policy can bar suppliers for up to 10 years, including for offences abroad, forced labour, and environmental and labour violations.
Security. Contracts involving protected or classified information need security screening through the Contract Security Program:
- Protected work: a Designated Organization Screening, which takes up to 4 months.
- Classified work: a Facility Security Clearance, which takes 6 months or more.
- Foreign organisations can’t be sponsored directly. They go through their own country’s security authority under a bilateral arrangement.
Language. Federal tenders are published in English and French, and you can bid in either.
Construction security. Bid security is typically a bid bond or deposit of 10%. Contract security is usually a 50% performance bond plus a 50% labour and material payment bond.
Indigenous businesses. Federal organisations must award at least 5% of contract value to Indigenous businesses; the result for 2023–24 was 6.11%.
How bids are assessed
Each solicitation sets its own method, such as the lowest-priced compliant bid or the highest combined score for technical merit and price (for example 70/30). On strategic procurements of $5 million or more, the Buy Canadian adjustments apply on top. Unsuccessful bidders can usually ask for a debriefing within 15 working days.
Complaints:
- Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT): for contracts covered by trade agreements, file within 10 working days of learning the grounds, or of the department refusing relief. Since 15 December 2025, the tribunal can’t review measures that favour Canadian suppliers, goods or content.
- Office of the Procurement Ombud: reviews complaints from Canadian suppliers about awards below $34,700 (goods) or $139,000 (services), and about contract administration at any value.
Getting paid
- Payment: within 30 days of a proper invoice or acceptable delivery, whichever is later. Interest on late payment is automatic, at the Bank of Canada average rate plus 3%.
- Federal construction: under the Federal Prompt Payment for Construction Work Act, Canada pays within 28 days of a proper invoice, each subcontract tier pays the next within 7 days, and disputes go to adjudication.
Bidding from outside Canada, including from India
From a trade-agreement partner, such as the EU, the UK, the US (through the GPA), Japan, Korea or another CPTPP member, you can bid on the contracts that agreement covers. Under Buy Canadian, you also keep access to strategic procurements where a trade agreement applies.
From India, you are now largely shut out of federal buys. India isn’t a party to the WTO Government Procurement Agreement and has no trade agreement with Canada. Under the reciprocal procurement policy, suppliers from such countries are excluded from non-defence federal procurements over $10,000 unless an exception applies.
India and Canada relaunched trade agreement talks in March 2026, aiming to conclude by the end of 2026. It isn’t confirmed that government procurement is in scope.
In practice, for an Indian company:
- Set up in Canada. A Canadian company with a permanent place of business counts as a Canadian supplier under today’s rules. But once the origin-based policy applies, Indian-origin goods and services may still be ineligible, and Buy Canadian limits subcontracting abroad.
- Partner with a Canadian supplier. Work as a subcontractor where the tender allows it, keeping in mind the limits on value added outside Canada.
- Look at provinces and municipalities. The federal reciprocal policy covers federal buys; provinces, municipalities and the broader public sector follow their own rules, so check each one. Several provinces now restrict US firms.
- Don’t plan on classified work. Security screening isn’t available to Indian organisations directly.
What changed in 2025–2026
- 14 July 2025: the interim reciprocal procurement policy took effect, excluding suppliers from non-partner countries, India included, from non-defence federal buys over $10,000.
- 2 October 2025: the Defence Investment Agency launched.
- 15–17 December 2025: the tribunal lost the power to review Buy Canadian measures. Treasury Board policy was amended to support Canadian economic interests.
- 16 December 2025: the Buy Canadian supplier, content and materials policies took effect for buys of $25 million or more.
- 1 January 2026: new trade-agreement thresholds.
- March 2026: India–Canada trade talks relaunched.
- 13 April 2026: Ontario’s Buy Ontario directive took effect.
- 15 June 2026: the Buy Canadian threshold dropped to $5 million.
- July 2026: the Small Business Procurement Program launched, and supplier registration moved fully to SAP Business Network with a CRA business number.
- Coming: a bill to make the Defence Investment Agency a stand-alone agency was before Parliament as of October 2026, not yet law.
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Questions
Can Indian companies bid for Canadian federal contracts?
In most cases, not from India. Since 14 July 2025, Canada’s interim reciprocal procurement policy excludes suppliers from countries without procurement commitments to Canada from non-defence federal procurements over $10,000, unless an exception applies. India has no such commitment: it isn’t a party to the WTO Government Procurement Agreement and has no trade agreement with Canada. A Canadian company with a permanent place of business in Canada counts as a Canadian supplier, though later rules based on the origin of goods and services may still limit Indian content.
What is Buy Canadian?
A set of federal policies in force since 16 December 2025. For strategic procurements of $5 million or more (since 15 June 2026), Canadian suppliers get a 10% reduction to their evaluated price and Canadian content counts for 25% of the evaluation. Large construction and defence buys must also use Canadian steel, aluminium and wood where supply exists.
Do I still need a Procurement Business Number?
No. The old registration system that issued PBNs has been retired. You register on SAP Business Network through CanadaBuys and complete the Government of Canada questionnaire. You need a Canada Revenue Agency business number if you win, and non-residents can get one.
How long do I have to bid on a Canadian federal tender?
At least 40 days under international trade agreements, reduced by 5 days each for electronic notice, electronic documents and electronic bidding, to a floor of 25 days. Tenders covered only by the Canadian Free Trade Agreement, or by no agreement, need at least 15 days.
How do I complain about a federal procurement?
For contracts covered by trade agreements, file with the Canadian International Trade Tribunal within 10 working days of learning the grounds. Below those values ($34,700 for goods and $139,000 for services), Canadian suppliers can go to the Office of the Procurement Ombud. Since December 2025 the tribunal can’t review Buy Canadian preferences.
How quickly does the Canadian government pay?
Within 30 days of a proper invoice or acceptable delivery, whichever is later, with automatic interest on late payment. For federal construction, Canada pays within 28 days of a proper invoice, and each subcontract tier has 7 days to pay the next.
Sources
- CanadaBuys: Buy Canadian Procurement Policy Framework
- PSPC: interim reciprocal procurement policy (July 2025)
- PSPC: Buy Canadian, selling to the federal government
- CanadaBuys: Buy Canadian Policy, questions and answers for suppliers
- Treasury Board: Contracting Policy Notice 2025-8 (trade agreement thresholds 2026–2027)
- Treasury Board: Contracting Policy Notice 2025-7
- Government Contracts Regulations (SOR/87-402)
- CanadaBuys: how to register your business
- CanadaBuys: changes to the supplier registration process
- CanadaBuys: normal minimum solicitation periods
- PSPC: organization security screening sponsorship
- CITT: procurement inquiries
- Office of the Procurement Ombud: investigations
- Global Affairs Canada: government procurement under CUSMA
- PSPC: departmental results report 2024–25
This guide explains the rules in plain English; it isn’t legal advice. Procurement rules change, and each tender document sets its own conditions — it always prevails.