City of Brampton Becomes the Second Canadian City To Launch Its Supplier Diversity Program

For immediate release

Women Business Enterprises Canada Council (WBE Canada) is excited to announce that the City of Brampton is our newest Corporate Member. With more than 650,000 residents, Brampton is Canada’s 9th most populous municipality, the 77th largest city in North America and the third most populous city in the Greater Golden Horseshoe region, behind Toronto and Mississauga. The City of Brampton is the second municipal government member for WBE Canada, leading the way for social procurement within the public sector alongside the City of Toronto which launched their social procurement program in 2017.

The City of Brampton employs more than 6,000 across seven key operational areas including Corporate Support Services, Community Services, Public Works & Engineering, Planning, Building and Economic Development, Legislative Services, Brampton Transit and Brampton Fire & Emergency Services. Modeled after the City of Toronto’s Social Procurement Program, including their “Supply Chain Diversity” component, The City of Brampton’s commitment to the development and growth of their social procurement policies and supplier diversity programs aims to give certified diverse suppliers equitable access to bidding on City procurement projects under $100,000.

“It is exciting to welcome the second Canadian municipality into the WBE Canada Community. While many municipalities talk about supporting women-owned businesses through procurement opportunities, we are glad to see the City of Brampton take decisive action, actively pursue relationships with Canadian Women Business Enterprises (WBEs) and open up opportunities for them,” said Silvia Pencak, President of WBE Canada. “This step speaks volumes about Brampton’s commitment to supporting diverse communities and helping them to scale up which is extremely important especially during pandemic.”

David Barrick, Chief Administrative Office of City of Brampton said: “Brampton is a Mosaic, and diversity and inclusion are embedded in our service to the community. As the newest corporate member of WBE Canada, we are helping create more opportunities for small and medium businesses, including women-owned organizations, to participate in the City’s transparent and fair procurement practices. This is a milestone in the City developing a Supply Chain Diversity program.”

ABOUT CITY OF BRAMPTON

As one of the fastest-growing cities in Canada, Brampton is home to 650,000 people and 70,000 businesses. People are at the heart of everything we do. We are energized by our diverse communities, we attract investment, and we are embarking on a journey to lead technological and environmental innovation. We partner for progress to build a healthy city that is safe, sustainable and successful. Connect with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. Learn more at www.brampton.ca.

ABOUT WBE CANADA

Women Business Enterprises Canada Council (WBE Canada) is a Canadian non-profit organization with its goal being to bring corporate and government buyers and Canadian Women Business Enterprises (WBEs) together. WBE Canada certifies majority-owned, managed, and controlled women’s businesses. They provide a range of programs and services to assist WBEs in better accessing business opportunities with major corporations. This includes training and education, through annual conferences, workshops and webinars, and mentoring programs and networking events with like-minded businesswomen and corporate members. WBE Canada also provides its corporate members with forums, tools and techniques to broaden and strengthen their goals.