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Ontario Procurement Regulation Update: Municipal Road Standards
Ontario has finalized O. Reg. 283/26: Standards for Road Design and Construction, introducing mandatory Ontario Provincial Standard Specifications for certain municipal road projects.
For procurement professionals involved in municipal infrastructure, this is an important development to be aware of as organizations prepare for implementation.
Key dates include:
- July 1, 2027: Requirements begin applying to applicable municipal road procurements.
- July 1, 2028: Additional contract requirements come into effect.
Members are encouraged to review the regulation and consider how the requirements may affect future procurement and infrastructure projects.
Official Regulation
View O. Reg. 283/26 – Standards for Road Design and Construction |
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Additional Resources and Industry Perspectives
For additional background and context on the move toward harmonized municipal road construction standards:
Toronto and Area Road Builders Association (TARBA)
OPSS Standardization
Good Roads
Harmonizing Municipal Construction Standards
Ontario Road Builders’ Association (ORBA)
Ontario Introduces Landmark Legislation to Harmonize Municipal Road Standards
OPBA is sharing this information for member awareness. Members should review the official regulation and consult with their organization’s appropriate legal, engineering and procurement advisors when assessing its application to specific projects. |
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OPBA will continue to monitor developments related to the regulation and share relevant updates and resources with members. We are also planning to host an OPBA Coffee with Counsel session on this topic. |
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Diary of a Procurement Professional: The Day Everyone Became an Expert
By Victoria Mirlocca, Manager, Procurement Services, City of Mississauga |
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I opened my inbox to find seventeen new emails about a procurement process that, apparently, everyone now has an opinion on. There were comments on the evaluation criteria, terms and conditions, timelines and the process itself. |
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The Trials & Tribulations of Accepting Offshore Insurance
By: Joseph Presutti, B.A. (Hons.), CIP, CRM |
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Working for a municipal corporation, a litany of Certificates of Insurance (“COI”) come in for review daily. A municipal corporation’s business is diverse and often brings us into contact with foreign companies and entities which exist offshore with the possibility of a Canadian affiliation. |
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Reconciliation in Action at OPBA |
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September 30 marks the National Day for Truth and Reconciliation, a time to honour Survivors of residential schools, remember the children who never returned home, and reflect on the ongoing journey toward reconciliation with First Nations, Inuit, and Métis Peoples. |
| Read the full article |
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Spotlight on the Toronto Transit Commission Procurement Team |
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Every day, Torontonians – students, seniors, commuters, families – take approximately 1.7 million trips on the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC).
Those journeys are made possible by a dedicated team of procurement professionals working to ensure critical infrastructure, vehicles, technology, and services are available when and where they are needed. |
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Last Chance to Exhibit at the 2026 Reverse Vendor Tradeshow
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There’s still time for public agencies to participate free of charge as exhibitors at the 2026 OPBA Reverse Vendor Tradeshow on October 21 at the Pearson Convention Centre in Brampton.
We still have exhibitor spaces available and will accept additional public agencies until the end of September.
See the public agencies already registered to participate.
Connect directly with vendors and suppliers, showcase your organization, and help businesses better understand how to work with the public sector.
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Participating agencies will also be entered into a draw for a free 2027 OPBA Annual Conference registration.
Interested in exhibiting? Email Wendy Gan by September 30th.
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Public Procurement Leadership Essentials | Help Build Shared Understanding
Strong procurement outcomes depend on shared understanding between procurement professionals and the leaders who oversee priorities, risk and major decisions.
OPBA’s new Public Procurement Leadership Essentials for Elected Officials and Senior Leaders program is a 60–90 minute, self-paced online course designed to give elected officials and senior non-procurement leaders a practical understanding of public procurement governance, roles and key decision points.
The course can be used as:
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A Council or leadership onboarding resource
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A refresher before a major procurement or project
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A governance and risk-management resource
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A way to build shared understanding between procurement and leadership teams
Help us spread the word. Consider sharing the course with elected officials, CAOs, city managers, CFOs, treasurers, executive leadership teams and other senior leaders within your organization.
👉 View Course Details & Pricing
This course was developed by the Public Procurement Learning Lab with support from our project partner, OECM.
Questions? Contact members@opba.ca.
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OPBA at the 2026 Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference |
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OPBA was pleased to participate in the 2026 AMO Conference, connecting with municipal leaders from across Ontario and highlighting the important role of public procurement in effective governance and informed decision-making.
At the OPBA booth, we promoted Public Procurement Leadership Essentials for Elected Officials and Senior Leaders, our self-paced online course designed to build a strategic understanding of procurement governance, oversight, roles and responsibilities, and informed decision-making. The conference provided a valuable opportunity to introduce the course directly to the municipal leaders it was designed to support.
OPBA was also represented on the conference program by Tina Iacoe, Past Chair of OPBA and Director of Procurement at the City of Hamilton. Tina joined Chris Gonsalves, Assistant Deputy Minister, and Brian Barron, CEO of the Ontario Construction Secretariat, for a panel discussion on the Building Ontario Act and how municipalities are navigating an evolving procurement and infrastructure landscape. |
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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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Welcome to Procurement Jeopardy: the procurement game where every answer is competitively sourced.
Procurement Jeopardy is a fun and engaging way to build procurement knowledge. Participants can test their understanding of purchasing policies, best practices, risk management, and procurement principles through short jeopardy style questions and answers delivered on a regular basis. The program is designed to promote awareness, encourage learning, and help members make informed purchasing decisions in an interactive and enjoyable format.
Click here to view the answers from last month!
This Month’s Category: Procurement MythBusters |
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Don’t forget to check next month’s issue for the correct answer! |
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New Members
OPBA warmly welcomes the following new members:
Deanna Hastie, Town of Goderich
Hetal Thakkar, Metrolinx
Emma Vokes, Haldimand County
Chantelle Anson, Town of LaSalle
Zachary Saunders, Municipal District of Greenview No. 16
Kim Crewson, Town of Midland |
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OPBA warmly welcomes the following new associates:
Aleecia Lugossy, Northumberland County Paramedics |
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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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New Delivery Method for RFPs – A Step by Step Guide for Public Procurement Professionals
October 1-31, 2026
Mandatory Live Learning Session: Wednesday, October 28 at 6:00pm - 9:00pm ET
OPBA’s Public Procurement Learning Lab (PPLL) has transformed our education, now delivered via Brightspace, to be more interactive, builds confidence for learners with opportunities to check your knowledge as you progress, and offers flexibility with a self-paced structure. In addition to the Principles Program courses, we now have our Public Procurement Specialty (PPS) course, RFPs – A Step by Step Guide for Public Procurement Professionals, delivered through Brightspace. This four (4) week course takes learners through the in’s and out’s of creating a successful Request for Proposal, examining the elements of the RFP process, policies and procedures, RFP templates and methodologies and more. |
| Click here to register |
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PPS - Supplier Performance (Virtual - Zoom)
November 19, 2026
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM ET
Virtual Learning
Registration closes Thursday, November 12, 2026
This course is delivered via the Zoom delivery method, happening in one (1) three 3-hour session.
Contractor/Supplier/Consultant (Suppliers) Performance Program (the Program) sets out the guidelines for managing the performance of Suppliers. The program is administered in accordance with the agency’s procurement policy. The project manager is responsible for administering the program in accordance with the policy.
The purpose of this training is to provide support with supplier performance trends that will be assessed over both the short and long term to provide suppliers with feedback and to facilitate continuous improvement, where required |
| Click here to register |
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PPLL Pro-D Webinars
Timely learning to stay current, connected and informed
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Leading Through Transition: Succession, Change, and Smarter Decision Making
November 12, 2026, at 1:00 - 2:00 PM ET
In partnership with KIRAH Executive Search & Leadership Advisory, OPBA is hosting this interactive panel discussion for public sector professionals exploring succession planning, change management, and critical thinking through a practical public sector leadership lens. Designed as an insight-driven conversation, the session will examine how organizations can better prepare for leadership transitions, support teams through change, and strengthen decision-making in complex environments. |
| 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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