City’s social procurement plan should recognize work of industry: MHCA
The MHCA has recommended the City of Winnipeg’s social procurement plan reflect the work being done by the industry to raise awareness among diverse communities of the opportunities for construction careers.
The MHCA has submitted additional suggestions to refine the draft social procurement action plan, which is being prepared by the City, with consultants Buy Social Canada, in consultation with community social enterprise organizations and the construction industry. MHCA has also been working with the social enterprises and Winnipeg Construction Association in a sub-group on construction.
The MHCA has requested the action plan introduction notes that the procurement documents and practices recognize and align with the apprenticeships, pre-employment and vocational programs that industry training organizations now invest in and offer to diverse groups.
The City’s social procurement policy and action plan intends to use the City’s purchasing — $400 million annually on goods, services and construction — to more broadly spread the economic benefits to equity groups, such as Indigenous, Black and newcomer businesses and people. This includes seeing diverse businesses/people as suppliers, but also using the procurement process to increase employment among equity communities.
The MHCA is seeking to ensure that the new practices also align with the existing industry education and training initiatives.
The social procurement action plan being drafted will go to Executive Policy Committee and Council before the end of the summer, with the intent that it come into use before the end of the year. It scopes out introducing and building social procurement tools and practices over the next three year, during which pilot projects for the use of community benefit agreements, for example, will be tested and refined.
“We are supportive of procurement efforts that build upon our work to recruit from diverse communities,” MHCA President Chris Lorenc said. “We have been assured this will be done respecting the need for the tendering process to be open, fair and transparent.”
The plan proposed would also see construction tender documents and contracts include percentage hires from equity groups.
The social procurement policy is the fourth pillar of a broader sustainable procurement initiative at the City of Winnipeg. The other pillars cover initiatives that recognize the need to align purchasing with environmental, ethical and Indigenous goals.
The MHCA is awaiting the next draft of the action plan, before it is presented to EPC.
