Nova Scotia vowed to cease spending within the U.S. Here is how that is going

As U.S. President Donald Trump launched his newest menace of a 35 per cent tariff on Canadian items beginning Aug. 1, Premier Tim Houston issued an announcement calling the announcement from the White Home “infantile bullying” and stated provincial procurement measures will keep in place. 

In February the province stated it will “restrict entry” to provincial procurement for American companies. 

Final week the province made information obtainable to CBC Information displaying a breakdown of public tenders since final November by the successful vendor’s location. 

Out of 1,226 tenders awarded between Nov. 1, 2024, and June 19, 2025, 966 of them — or about 79 per cent — went to firms that stated they have been primarily based in Nova Scotia. 

Twelve per cent, or 146 tenders, went to Ontario firms. 

Corporations primarily based in the USA have been awarded 21 tenders — slightly below two per cent. 

One tender was awarded to an organization primarily based in Berlin. 

Contracts embody hospital meals, pump observe

Of the 21 contracts that went to suppliers primarily based within the U.S., the biggest was for simply over $1 million to Sara Lee Frozen Bakery of Illinois, to provide meals for health-care amenities beginning in April 2025. 

That contract was procured by a bunch buying physique that works for hospitals throughout Canada. 

Another examples of public tenders that went to American firms included $539,000 to a Colorado agency to offer short-term rental compliance and monitoring providers to the Division of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and a Halifax contract value $535,000 for a Missouri firm to design and construct a pump observe for biking in Bedford. 

In April, the province advised CBC it had backed away from 11 contracts value about $130,000. Nonetheless, Premier Tim Houston defended sticking with an American firm that was awarded a $70-million contract to work on the Macdonald bridge spanning Halifax harbour, saying there may be no native choice to do the work.