NEW REPORT — PUBLIC PROCUREMENT AND SECRET COMPANIES!

As Canada looks to fast-track major nation-building projects — from housing and clean energy to infrastructure and pipelines — one critical question remains:

💡 Do we truly know who’s behind the companies winning these public contracts?

In a new report, “Screening for Risk in Licensing, Permitting, and Procurement,” we examined Licensing, Permitting, and Procurement requirements across multiple jurisdictions in Canada. When we looked at over 100+ provincial and territorial RFPs, we found that just 59% required the full names of beneficial owners, and only 0.8% required partial birth dates!

That’s a problem. Weak transparency rules risk allowing secret companies to siphon public funds, distort competition, and undermine trust — especially as the U.S. backpedals on beneficial ownership transparency.

Authored by Zachary Spicer (York University), this report was produced by The End Snow-Washing Coalition: Transparency International Canada, IMPACT, and Canadians For Tax Fairness.

We are grateful to Sasha Caldera from IMPACT for having project-managed this report, and for the support and guidance offered by our steering committee and members of the Beneficial Ownership Expert Working Group.

Canada can’t advance nation-building projects if it builds with secrecy.