The B.C. government has updated its direction to ministries, health authorities and core Crown corporations to critically review all contracts with United States companies to decrease the Province’s dependence on goods and services from U.S. suppliers.

“As people are choosing to buy B.C. and buy Canadian, British Columbians expect their government to join them in choosing to avoid U.S. purchases wherever possible,” said Premier David Eby. “That’s why we’ve directed our government to use its purchasing power to exclude American suppliers and support Canadian companies and trusted and reliable trading partners instead. Today, we’re expanding that directive to include looking for every opportunity to move existing contracts away from U.S. suppliers and cancelling non-essential government travel to the United States.”

The new directives order government, where viable, to:

• exclude goods and services from U.S. suppliers under existing contracts with U.S. suppliers;
• exclude goods and services from U.S. suppliers under the B.C. government’s goods and services catalogue and other corporate supply arrangements;
• cancel subscriptions to U.S. publications and non-essential software;
• avoid non-essential travel to the U.S.;
• avoid renewal of, and pause participation in, U.S. industry and related associations;
• develop mid- and long-term strategies to reduce dependence on goods and services from U.S. suppliers; and
• exclude goods and services from U.S. suppliers pursuant to opportunities created by core government transfers.

These directives will be applied, where viable, following an assessment of legal, financial, operational and other reasonable considerations.

Government continues to be directed to exclude goods and services from U.S. suppliers in new procurement activities, wherever possible.

“Now is the time to continue to support B.C. and Canadian businesses, as well as find new markets and develop deeper bonds with countries other than the U.S.,” Premier Eby said. “Just like when you’re at the grocery store, there isn’t always a non-American alternative, or sometimes that alternative comes at too high a price. Our goal is to find every opportunity to stand with British Columbians, support Canadian jobs and build an economy where we stand on our own two feet.”  

Government is reviewing existing contracts to determine if companies from Canada or other countries can be newly sourced or replace existing U.S. suppliers.

The directive is in effect immediately and enables government to monitor and adjust purchasing accordingly to exclude U.S. suppliers of goods and services:
https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/employment-business/tariffs