Mayor, councillor clash during discussion about Calgary's social procurement program
Half a decade after it was pitched at city council, Calgary's strategy to partially evaluate suppliers on social policies is leading to a majority of contracts going to small or medium-sized businesses or groups that have diverse representation.
A report to a city committee Thursday showed the city purchases about $725 million of goods and services each year and 53 per cent of the contracts awarded in 2022 went to suppliers with the highest "social procurement score."
The policy, which was first presented in 2018, means the city doesn't just evaluate suppliers on cost and quality -- it also looks at whether a supplier has LGBTQ2S+, newcomer or racialized representation in its organization.
"Simply put, if a business meets the requirements for price and quality, its ability to receive additional points through the social procurement questionnaire could provide the advantage needed to win a competitive bid," reads administration's report to committee, in part.
Officials are now focusing on developing an Indigenous procurement strategy to be incorporated.
In questioning administration about the policy, Mayor Jyoti Gondek and Coun. Dan McLean sparred over comments the Ward 13 representative made about a bid process he was involved in 13 years ago.
"I was bidding on the Olympic bid for providing golf and utility vehicles in 2010. Lots of people competing against. They asked me if I had an Indigenous component and program. My daughter's boyfriend was a First Nations guy. So, I tick 'Yes.' What's your recycling program? What's your environmental impact? And you know, I took my bottles and I could (tick) 'Yes,'" McLean said.
"I mean, people can just tick the boxes and say a little story. I mean, is that where we're going? Is that where we're at?"
Gondek later referred back to the councillor's comments.
"I also need to point out that we just had a member of council openly admit that he scammed the system on a bid," Gondek said while McLean tried to respond.
"He openly admitted in public that he checked off boxes that shouldn't have been checked off," she said.
McLean countered that he did have Indigenous and recycling programs and nothing he did was illegal or a scam. He says he used the example to make a point about concerns he has about the effectiveness and efficiency of the program.
"I would just say that it was miscommunicated by the mayor. I did not say (that I scammed the system). A lot of people are worried about government programs that are put forth that people do look at as a ticking-the-box exercise," McLean told reporters later.
Administration told councillors there was no cost increase caused by the social procurement policy, but it allows the city to purchase with intent to add "positive impacts in social equity, economic growth and climate resiliency."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6975797.1721835642!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Bank of Canada cuts interest rate, signals more to come if inflation keeps dropping
The Bank of Canada has decreased its policy interest rate for the second consecutive time and signalled more cuts are coming if inflation continues to ease.
Wildfire north of Calgary prompts evacuation alert, highway closures
A wildfire is prompting evacuations and highway closures north of Calgary.
2 Canadians being 'sent home immediately,' removed from Olympic team after drone incident
An analyst and an assistant coach with Canada Soccer are being removed from the Canadian Olympic Team and 'sent home immediately,' according to the Canadian Olympic Committee.
Russian man is among those arrested in plots targeting Paris Olympics
French authorities have foiled several plots to disrupt the 2024 Olympics, including arresting a Russian man in one of them, officials said Wednesday, just days before the opening ceremony of the Summer Games in Paris.
Whale surfaces, capsizes fishing boat off New Hampshire coast
Two fishermen are safe after a whale crashed onto their boat, capsizing it off the New Hampshire shore, according to the U.S. Coast Guard.
BREAKING 2 dead, 2 injured after 'gun battle' outside Toronto plaza: police
Two people are dead and two others suffered serious injuries following a shooting that police have described as a 'gun battle' outside a plaza in Scarborough, Ont. early Wednesday morning.
EXCLUSIVE Canadian company at the centre of alleged international pyramid scheme: authorities
Foreign governments say hundreds of thousands of people in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka lost savings to a company headquartered in Canada. This investigation from the IJF and CTV News shines a new light on how Canadian shell companies and registries were used to pull off the scheme.
Wildfire evacuees ordered to leave Jasper find relief after long journey to safety
Some wildfire evacuees who were trapped in traffic for hours while leaving Jasper National Park say they are feeling relieved to have found safety.
Man who attacked author Salman Rushdie charged with supporting terrorist group
A man who severely injured author Salman Rushdie in a frenzied knife attack in western New York faces a new charge that he supported a terrorist group.