A coalition of Ontario’s construction and design associations has released a guide to construction procurement and design practices that it hopes will help guide public-sector purchasers in planning, procuring and delivering infrastructure projects.

The Construction and Design Alliance of Ontario’s (CDAO) Guide to Design and Construction Procurement Best Practices was developed by stakeholders in the province’s construction, design, residential, and municipal engineering sectors. It recommends solutions for addressing fragmented and inefficient procurement practices that it says slow progress, and create costly delays, inefficiencies, and missed opportunities.

This comes at a time when the federal government is moving forward with nation-building projects and Ontario is facing its own infrastructure backlog while preparing for more than $250 billion in new capital investments over the next decade.

“Governments at every level are saying the same thing: we want to build,” said Nadia Todorova, CDAO Chair. “This guide is about helping them do just that - by giving public owners the tools to deliver projects faster, more efficiently, and more sustainably.”

The guide recommends:

• Standardizing contracts and specifications: With 444 municipalities using different systems, standardization cuts red tape, reduces disputes, and speeds up project delivery.
• Pre-planning projects and communicating early: Clear objectives and early collaboration between industry and government prevent costly changes and delays.
• Choosing the right procurement model: Match the approach – design-bid-build, design-build, construction management at risk, or integrated project delivery – to the project’s needs.
• Managing risk appropriately: Assign risks to the parties best able to handle them and consider long-term, life-cycle impacts.
• Fostering a culture of change: Embrace collaboration, innovation, and flexibility while maintaining transparency and accountability.

CDAO says the guide serves as a practical, accessible resource for municipalities, provincial agencies, and all public-sector buyers seeking to modernize procurement and improve project outcomes.