Sustainable Procurement at the City of Mississauga

As a Sustainable Procurement Intern at the City of Mississauga, I played an important role in advancing the sustainable procurement initiatives within the city by researching Bill S-211, supplier diversity, and community benefits. I benchmarked various Canadian municipalities to understand current trends and different approaches that municipalities are taking to incorporate social value into the municipal procurement process. 

I summarized the reporting requirements of Bill S-211 and monitored municipalities who have submitted reports, providing Mississauga with an understanding of the trends and their capacity to report. Furthermore, I drafted three scenarios as to how Mississauga could integrate supplier diversity into their procurement process. I also provided clarity on the differences between community benefits in municipal procurement, community benefits agreements (CBAs), and community benefits charges (CBCs) to prevent misunderstandings. This was followed-up with a presentation and a corporate report with recommendations on how Mississauga can move forward with a sustainable procurement framework. 

During this internship, I learned about the importance of attention to detail and being prepared for someone to challenge your work. I also learned that the public sector involves navigating multiple perspectives and requires strong communication skills to drive change. There are different ways for a municipality to integrate sustainably into the procurement process, depending on their resources and objectives. I am thankful for this opportunity and gained valuable insights about municipal procurement and sustainability that I can apply into future roles.