Further Opportunities

Government Procurement

Governments, suppliers, and taxpayers have all benefitted from the efforts to open government procurement markets. Government procurement agreements help to ensure that Canadian suppliers of goods and services are treated in an open, transparent and nondiscriminatory manner when they sell to governments outside of Canada. The following provides further information on Canada's government procurement in trade agreements and negotiations.

WTO - World Trade Organization

In the WTO there are three areas of work on government procurement: the Working Group on Transparency in Government Procurement, the Working Party on GATS Rules, and the Committee on Government Procurement.

Description of the three areas of work in the WTO on government procurement
WTO - Working Group on Transparency in Government Procurement (WGTGP)
WTO - Working Party on GATS Rules (WPGR)
- Working Party on GATS Rules
WTO - Agreement on Government Procurement
- WTO Agreement on Government Procurement
- Modifications to Canada's Appendix I of the WTO Agreement on Government Procurement - August 2002 - also in PDF
  Provides a revised listing of federal government entities submitted to the WTO Committee on Government Procurement, August 2002, that are subject to Canada's procurement obligations under Annex 1 of Appendix 1 of the WTO-Agreement on Government Procurement.
- Explanatory Note Regarding Canada's Annex 2, Sub-Central Government Entities, and Annex 3, Government Enterprises - August 2002
WTO - Information Paper - September 2001
Provides Canada's objectives at the WTO Ministerial that took place in Doha, Qatar from November 9-13, 2001

NAFTA - North American Free Trade Agreement

NAFTA Chapter 10 provides for Canada, the United States and Mexico to open markets for government procurement to each other's suppliers. The agreement specifies the procurement to be opened and a framework of open and transparent processes that all three Parties have agreed to follow.

North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) Chapter 10 - Government Procurement

CCFTA - Canada-Chile Free Trade Agreement

CCFTA Chapter Kbis provides for Canada and Chile to open markets for government procurement to each other's suppliers. The agreement specifies the procurement to be opened and a framework of open and transparent processes that the Parties have agreed to follow. The provisions of this chapter have not yet entered into force.

Canada Chile Free Trade Agreement (CCFTA) Chapter Kbis - Government Procurement

FTAA - Free Trade Area of the Americas

Canada continues to work on negotiations on government procurement in the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Such an agreement would improve the access of Canadian firms selling their goods and services to foreign governments within the hemisphere and ensure that Canadian suppliers are treated in an open and non-discriminatory manner.

Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) - Government Procurement