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OPBA’s 68th Annual Meeting: Celebrating a Year of Growth and Impact
OPBA was pleased to welcome 188 attendees to its 68th Annual Meeting, held virtually on June 25, 2026. Thank you to all members who participated and demonstrated their support by exercising their voting privileges. |
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Limitation of Liability Clauses in RFx Documents
By Lise Patry, LXM LAW LLP |
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One of the more surprising things I have recently heard from a litigation lawyer is that a limitation of liability clause in a RFx document is legally worthless. I was involved in a procurement matter where this issue came up. A municipality had run a binding RFQ for a large equipment purchase worth more than the CFTA threshold. It was a straightforward, low-bid-wins procurement process. |
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Beyond the Boilerplate: Why Procurement Belongs in Scope Writing
By Joseph Adekale, Toronto Transit Commission (TTC) |
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As public procurement professionals, we have all been there. A business unit (BU) submits a requisition with a scope of work that reads like a tech manual, a wish list, or a single page of vague bullet points. When we ask to get involved earlier in the drafting process, we are sometimes met with pushback: "Why does procurement care about the technical details? Just paste it into the template." |
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Last Chance: Complete the 2026 OPBA Member Survey
The survey closes this Friday, July 17.
If you haven't already shared your feedback, there's still time to help shape the future of OPBA.
Your input will help us better understand the challenges, priorities, and opportunities facing public procurement professionals, and will directly inform OPBA's programs, services, advocacy, and professional development initiatives.
The strength of OPBA comes from members like you—professionals who share their expertise, support one another, volunteer their time, and help advance the public procurement profession across Ontario.
Don't miss your opportunity to have your voice heard.
Complete the Survey by July 17
👉 Click here to begin the survey |
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OPBA Annual Conference 2026: Early Bird Registration Ends July 24 |
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There's still time to save on registration for the OPBA Annual Conference 2026—but don't wait. Early Bird pricing ends July 24.
Join public procurement professionals from across Ontario this September 23–25 at RBC Place London for three days of practical learning, thought-provoking discussions, and valuable networking opportunities, all under this year's theme, Procuring for Tomorrow.
Planning your conference experience? Arrive early on September 22 and choose from two pre-conference workshops:
Michelle Rasiulis, CSMP, CPPB, NIGP-CPP
Scott Bickley, Advisory Fellow, Info-Tech Research Group
Trisha Kent, Technical Counselor, Info-Tech Research Group
Looking to expand your network? Kick off conference week at the Caveat Emptor Cup Golf Tournament on September 22 at Echo Valley Golf Club in London—a relaxed opportunity to connect with colleagues before the conference begins.
You can also support this year's conference charity by purchasing the 2026 OPBA Conference Charity T-shirt during registration. Proceeds will benefit Atlohsa Family Healing Services, supporting healing and wellness initiatives in the London community.
Register by July 24 to take advantage of Early Bird pricing.
👉 View the Conference Program
👉 Register for the Conference
👉 Register for the Caveat Emptor Cup Golf Tournament |
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Coming August 1: Online Public Procurement Training for Elected Officials and Senior Leaders
Procurement decisions don't sit with procurement alone.
OPBA is launching a new online, self-paced training program designed specifically for elected officials and senior non-procurement leaders who play a role in procurement governance, oversight, decision-making, and accountability.
Created for busy public sector leaders, the program provides a practical understanding of public procurement, key risks, governance responsibilities, and the important role leadership plays in supporting fair, transparent, and defensible procurement decisions.
Now is a great time to give your leadership team a heads-up. Whether you're planning Council onboarding, leadership development, or preparing for major projects, this practical resource is designed to build a shared understanding of public procurement across your organization.
Stay tuned! The program launches August 1 with introductory pricing available for a limited time. |
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One Issue Left to Be Considered for the 2026 Dick Brimmell Award |
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Have an idea, case study, lesson learned, or procurement insight to share?
There is still time to submit an article to Caveat Emptor for consideration for this year’s Dick Brimmell Award for Best Article. To be eligible for the 2026 award, your article must be published in the August issue.
The winning articles will be recognized at the 2026 OPBA Annual Conference, with awards of $500 for Best Article and $250 for Honourable Mention.
Submit your article by August 7 soon to Wendy Gan to be considered. |
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OPBA Mentoring Program: From Conversation to Confidence
Whether you're looking to share your experience or learn from someone who has been there, the OPBA Mentoring Program creates meaningful connections that strengthen our public procurement community.
Experienced procurement professionals can guide and support fellow members, while mentees gain practical advice, fresh perspectives, and valuable professional connections that extend beyond their own organizations.
From Conversation to Confidence
Mentee
"I implemented the contract negotiation tool my mentor shared, and it transformed my documentation and process. More importantly, I gained confidence in my day-to-day work."
Michelle (Mentor)
"The OPBA Mentorship Program allows experienced professionals to give back in meaningful ways. Watching a mentee apply shared tools and grow in confidence is incredibly rewarding."
Whether you're ready to give back as a Mentor or grow as a Mentee, now is a great time to get involved.
👉 Learn more about becoming a Mentor or Mentee on the OPBA website.
Questions? Contact members@opba.ca |
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Freshen up your insurance and you could see your savings bloom
Ready for a fresh start this spring? Instead of cleaning out your closets, see if you can clean up on insurance savings. With Sonnet, you could save up to 36%* when you bundle your home and auto insurance! The online process is straightforward and simple, providing a personalized quote in just a few minutes. Start a quote by answering a few questions, then customize your coverage and buy securely online.
Get a quote now and see how much you could save!
* Savings amount is the maximum savings amount on home and auto insurance for {insert group name clients/customers} who bundle their home and auto insurance, are deemed to be experienced drivers with clean driving records as per Sonnet’s underwriting rules, and who qualify for conviction-free, multi-vehicle, and winter tires discounts. Savings amounts are not guaranteed and will depend upon each individual’s insurance profile.
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New Members
OPBA warmly welcomes the following new members:
Nwanbueze Frank Tunim-Eke, City of London
Harshkumar Panchal, Toronto Police Service
Jody Graham, London Police Service
Ashley Neville, Niagara Region
Jason Hoffman, City of Owen Sound
Jessica Faris, Regional Municipality of York
Tracee Sheldrake, Regional Municipality of York
Joyal Joseph, City of Waterloo |
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PPLL Courses
Structured learning to build procurement knowledge and skills
As the cornerstone of OPBA's educational offerings, PPLL provides a more comprehensive and meaningful learning experience through a blend of self-paced online modules and a virtual classroom session via Zoom in the final week. |
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Certified Public Procurement Officer (CPPO) Exam Preparation 2-Day Course
Prepare to Write Your CPPO with OPBA’s CPPO Exam Prep Course
Preparation is key! OPBA’s debut prep course for the CPPO certification is taking place this September 17 + 18. If you are planning to write your CPPO exam this fall, set yourself up for success with this two-day engaging, interactive course created and delivered by Melissa Mordue, a CPPO/CPPB certificant. This course will not only help you build your knowledge, confidence and strategies for studying but also connects you with others working toward the same goal.
Course Dates: September 17 + 18, 2026
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET
Registration closes Thursday, September 10, 2026
Click here to register
Course Dates: October 1 + 2, 2026
9:00 AM - 5:00 PM ET
Registration closes Sunday, September 27, 2026
Click here to register |
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Additional Introduction to Public Procurement Course Added Due to High Demand!
If you’re looking to begin your Principles of Effective Public Procurement Certificate Program journey this fall, now is the perfect time – due to high demand, we have added an additional Introduction to Public Procurement course taking place over the month of September. All course details can be found through the registration link below, and the mandatory Live Learning Session via Zoom for this course will take place on Monday, September 28 at 6pm – 9pm ET.
Register Now! |
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Pro-D Webinars
Practical learning for public procurement professionals |
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Coffee with Counsel: Buy Ontario in Practice for Public Procurement Part 2
Thursday, July 23, 2026
1:00 – 2:30 PM ET
Virtual | 90 minutes
Registration closes July 22, 2026
Audience: Public procurement professionals across the public sector.
Following OPBA’s April 27 webinar, Buy Ontario in Practice for Public Procurement, this follow-up session will take a practical look at how public sector organizations are applying the Buy Ontario procurement requirements.
Join Marianne Smith from Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP for a timely discussion on implementation considerations, common questions, and emerging challenges related to the Buy Ontario Act, the Buy Ontario Procurement Directive, and related procurement policies.
Members are encouraged to submit questions in advance to help shape the discussion and ensure the session addresses the issues public procurement teams are currently facing. |
| Click here to register |
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Advertising and Sponsored Content in the Caveat Emptor enews:
The OPBA is diversifying its revenue sources so that we are not solely reliant on revenue generated through membership fees. Our goals are to strengthen the financial health of the association and continue to deliver valued member services while maintaining a reasonable cost of membership. We appreciate the support of our partner vendors and suppliers, many of whom have advertising and sponsored content in this enews. Articles provided by advertisers are solely for the purpose of raising awareness. OPBA does not endorse, promote, or advocate any products and services. |
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www.opba.ca | Media Kit | Archive
The Ontario Public Buyers Association (OPBA) is a not-for-profit professional association representing public procurement professionals throughout Ontario. We promote the ethical and effective expenditure of public funds and encourage excellence in public purchasing through our continuing professional development opportunities, the encouragement of certification programs and through networking among our members. |
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