Canada Signs Belém Declaration on Sustainable Public Procurement

Canada has joined the Belém Declaration on Sustainable Public Procurement, an international agreement launched by Brazil at COP30 in Belém do Pará encouraging governments to progressively integrate sustainability criteria into their public purchasing policies and practices. Treasury Board President Shafqat Ali announced Canada's accession, framing the move as reinforcing the country's shared commitment with Brazil to using procurement as a tool supporting climate, environmental and economic objectives.

 

Public procurement, government purchasing of goods and services, represents a significant share of overall economic activity in most countries, giving governments direct influence over market demand for specific products and standards simply through their own purchasing decisions. By committing to integrate sustainability criteria more consistently into that purchasing process, signatory governments aim to use their collective buying power to grow demand for lower-carbon products and technologies, potentially influencing supplier behaviour and market development beyond what regulation or direct subsidy alone might achieve.

 

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The Declaration also establishes a framework for participating governments to share expertise, tools and best practices on sustainable procurement, positioning it as a collaborative knowledge-sharing mechanism alongside its substantive policy commitment. Minister of Environment, Climate Change and Nature Julie Dabrusin framed the accession specifically around using government purchasing power to lower emissions and grow the market for low-carbon technology, stating the government intends to continue working with Brazil and other Declaration partners to make sustainable procurement standard practice.

 

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Canada's accession connects to its existing Greening Government Strategy, administered through the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat's Centre for Greening Government, which already provides internal leadership toward net-zero emissions and climate resilience across federal government operations. The release did not specify what new or additional procurement policy changes, if any, will follow from this Declaration signing, nor did it disclose how many other countries have joined the Declaration alongside Canada and Brazil.

 

Source: Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat