CUTRIC welcomes new Buy Canadian policy guidelines for Canada Public Transit Fund

The Canadian Urban Transit Research and Innovation Consortium (CUTRIC) is welcoming the new Buy Canadian policy guidelines for the Canada Public Transit Fund that were put together by the Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada. 

According to CUTRIC, the new guidelines strengthen the link between public transit investment and Canadian economic growth by prioritizing Canadian suppliers and Canadian content in federally supported transit projects. 

"Public transit procurement can do far more than deliver infrastructure. It can strengthen Canadian supply chains, support Canadian jobs and help build long-term economic resilience," said CUTRIC President and CEO Josipa Petrunic. "This is a major step forward for Canada. These guidelines recognize that public funding should create lasting value here at home." 

CUTRIC has worked with federal officials from HICC to help inform the development of policy guidance for public transit procurement under the CPTF, drawing on its research and industry expertise from across Canada's transit and zero-emissions mobility sectors. According to CUTRIC, the new policy comes at a critical time, as Canada faces growing trade uncertainty, supply chain pressures and increased global competition. 

"This is about using Canada's purchasing power more strategically," Petrunic said. "When governments invest in transit, they can also support Canadian manufacturing, innovation and high-value employment. That is what makes this policy so significant." 

CUTRIC notes it believes the guidelines will help reinforce Canada's transit manufacturing base and support broader goals tied to innovation, clean transportation and national economic security. It will ensure that public transit spending anchors high-value jobs, protects domestic intellectual property, strengthens supply chain resilience, attracts investment and builds a more competitive Canadian industrial base for the future.