# Canada Scrutinizes Indigenous Procurement Program

Canada’s multi-billion-dollar Indigenous procurement program is facing renewed scrutiny after an ombud reportedly described its implementation as a severe systemic failure. The program sets a 5% federal procurement target for First Nations-, Inuit- and Métis-owned businesses; stronger eligibility verification, oversight or policy changes are possible, but the signal does not report that any changes have been adopted.

- Federal procurement teams and contractors pursuing this market should account for potential greater scrutiny of Indigenous business eligibility and program implementation; no new verification requirement is specified in the signal.
- Indigenous-owned businesses and their contractors may wish to keep eligibility and ownership information clear and supportable as the program’s implementation comes under review.
- The 5% target remains the central procurement mechanism identified in the signal; any subsequent changes could affect how federal buyers track progress and how businesses access opportunities.

**Jurisdictions:** international
**Published:** October 18, 2026

### Government Entities
- Government of Canada

### Sources
- [Canada's multi-billion dollar Indigenous procurement program under scrutiny - Yahoo News Canada](https://ca.news.yahoo.com/canadas-multi-billion-dollar-indigenous-013907368.html) - Yahoo News Canada