City council approves Indigenous Procurement Policy

Regina’s new Indigenous Procurement Policy is officially in place.

City council approved the policy, which calls for a minimum goal of 20 per cent procurement from Indigenous businesses.

In a media release, the City of Regina said it spends around $200 million on procurement each year, Currently, about 0.15 per cent is procured through Indigenous businesses, for a total of around $300,000.

At the current levels, the 20 per cent target would result in about $40 million worth of goods and services being procured through Indigenous businesses.

“Economic fairness is imperative for our collective future,” Mayor Sandra Masters said in the release. “It requires us to understand where barriers exist and to collaborate with, and learn from, Indigenous partners to find solutions. We are grateful for these partnerships and their guidance through this process.”

“The City of Regina’s Indigenous Procurement Policy is a step in the right direction to create economic prosperity for Indigenous-owned businesses and our community,” added Thomas Benjoe, the president and CEO of FHQ Developments. “The work that the Indigenous Procurement Advisory Committee (did) was critical in helping to shape the policy with Indigenous perspectives to ensure that there are appropriate supports and accountabilities established in the processes.

“This commitment to a minimum 20 per cent total spend is historic and will benefit not only our Indigenous business community but our community at large through the reinvestment that most Indigenous businesses make in supporting our local economies.”

More information about the policy is available through the city’s website.