London-area conservation authority hones in on 'Buy Canadian' movement

CBC

20-03-2025

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Buying local and Canadian may be a good way to show support for Canada in the face of U.S. President Donald Trump's tariff and annexation threats, but it's also just good for the environment, one London-area conversation authority says.
Next week, Upper Thames River Conservation Authority's (UTRCA) board of directors will discuss changing the agency's purchasing policies to encourage staff to choose local when contracting goods and services.
"The UTRCA prefers local supply," the recommendation reads.
"Being an environmental organization, it's been part of our normal practice and our purchasing regulations to look locally," said Tracy Annett, UTRCA's general manager. Shorter delivery distances means a reduced environmental impact.
But as the Canadian economy braces for U.S. tariffs, and reciprocal Canadian tariffs, emphasizing that local sourcing strategy has taken on a whole new importance.
"We have a number of member municipalities in our watershed. Almost all are councillors that sit around our boardroom table to make these decisions, and all are hearing these same concerns about how we can reduce the impacts of tariffs," she said.
UTRCA tries to source local or Canadian as much as possible, but some things can only be purchased, for now, from the U.S, said Teresa Hollingsworth, UTRCA's manager of community and corporate services.
"The kinds of things that we have trouble sourcing are things like stream flow or monitoring equipment … If we need parts or repairs, we still would be forced to get those from the U.S.," she said.
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Hollingsworth said UTRCA's expenditure budget covers everything from campground supplies, water and wildlife monitoring tools, and flood control, office and IT equipment.
"Our purpose really is to make sure our staff is always thinking about 'if we can get this local, we need to buy local.'"
In discussions, UTRCA will be reflecting on: What constitutes local and Canadian, and would such a directive preclude sourcing from other countries? A memo going before the meeting notes interprovincial trade barriers may also make Canadian procurement more challenging.
Local sourcing a topic at other conservation authorities
Other local conservation authorities are looking at their own procurement. St. Clair Region Conservation Authority hasn't brought the issue to its board, but has been looking internally at where its suppliers are from, its general manager said.
"We're looking at replacing some of our lawn mowing equipment," said Ken Phillips. "Where does that come from? Do we need to expedite the process to maintain that we can avoid tariffs?"
The U.S. has imposed 25 per cent tariffs on all Canadian steel and aluminum imports, prompting Canada to expand retaliatory tariffs. More U.S. tariffs are set to come on April 2.
"While we haven't officially gone to the board with a proposal yet to look at purchasing, it might be something we look at doing in one of the next couple board meetings," Phillips said.
Conservation Ontario, which represents conservation authorities, has provided some guidance around the issue, he said. A spokesperson for the organization was not available Wednesday.
Mark Peacock, the CAO and secretary-treasurer of the Lower Thames River Conservation Authority (LTRCA), echoed the others on the lack of Canadian firms producing water quality monitors, and things like office software.
LTRCA doesn't have a "buy Canadian" provision in its policy, but Peacock said a vast majority of its contracts are already for Canadian goods and services, many from local suppliers.
"We do most of our work with local communities, things like planting trees, building wetlands," he said. "Almost everything we buy in doing that work is local. It's from local nurseries. It's local contractors doing that work."
"We plant like 100,000 trees a year. We have to have a local source. We also need trees that grow in this area."
At nearby Catfish Creek Conservation Authority, its general manager Dusty Underhill, said supporting and buying local creates a positive economic cycle for the region.
"We've always been firm believers in sourcing local," he said.