Regulations Amending the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Procurement Inquiry Regulations: SOR/2026-157

Canada Gazette, Part II, Volume 160, Number 13

Registration
SOR/2026-157 June 22, 2026

CANADIAN INTERNATIONAL TRADE TRIBUNAL ACT

P.C. 2026-648 June 22, 2026

Her Excellency the Governor General in Council, on the recommendation of the Minister of Finance, makes the annexed Regulations Amending the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Procurement Inquiry Regulations under section 40footnote a of the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Act footnote b.

Regulations Amending the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Procurement Inquiry Regulations

Amendment

1 Part 10 of the schedule to the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Procurement Inquiry Regulations footnote 1 is amended by adding the following in alphabetical order:

Coming into Force

2 These Regulations come into force on the day on which section 23 of An Act to implement the Protocol on the Accession of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership, chapter 7 of the Statutes of Canada, 2026, comes into force, but if they are registered after that day, they come into force on the day on which they are registered.

REGULATORY IMPACT ANALYSIS STATEMENT

(This statement is not part of the Regulations.)

Issues

An Act to implement the Protocol on the Accession of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (the Act) received royal assent on May 6, 2026.

While the Act establishes the legal framework to implement the outcomes of the United Kingdom’s (UK) accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) into domestic law, a consequential amendment is required to the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Procurement Inquiry Regulations (the Regulations) to implement domestic public procurement commitments under the Protocol on the Accession of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (the “Accession Protocol”).

Background

The CPTPP is a free trade agreement in force between Canada and 10 other countries in the Indo-Pacific region: Australia, Brunei, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam. The CPTPP entered into force for Canada on December 30, 2018.

The CPTPP also includes an accession process that provides for further expansion of the Agreement’s membership. On July 16, 2023, CPTPP Parties signed an Accession Protocol with the United Kingdom (UK), welcoming them as the Agreement’s 12th member and first successful accession candidate. The UK became a Party to the CPTPP on December 15, 2024, following the ratification of the UK’s Accession Protocol by the UK and five CPTPP Parties.

On June 15, 2025, Prime Minister Carney committed, during a visit by UK Prime Minister Starmer, to introduce legislation in the fall of 2025 to support Canada’s ratification of the UK’s accession to the CPTPP. As such, the Minister of International Trade introduced the Act in the House of Commons on October 21, 2025. The Act, which updates Canadian legislation to give domestic legal effect to the UK’s accession to the CPTPP, received royal assent on May 6, 2026.

The Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) is responsible for inquiring into complaints made by potential suppliers of goods or services relating to federal government procurements that are covered by various trade agreements. These procurement inquiries are governed by the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Procurement Inquiry Regulations.

Objective

The objective of this amendment to the Regulations is to fulfill Canada’s domestic commitments as part of the Accession Protocol so that Canada can implement and comply with the UK’s accession to the CPTPP.

Description

The Regulations are amended to add the UK as a CPTPP Member to Part 10 of the Schedule. In doing so, the CITT will be able to conduct procurement inquiries in respect of complaints made by potential Canadian and UK suppliers concerning federal procurements covered under the Accession Protocol. This amendment is consequential in nature, as it is necessary to fully recognize in domestic law that the UK has acceded to the CPTPP, pursuant to the Accession Protocol.

Regulatory development

Consultation

Given that the amendment to the Regulations is consequential to the Act, it was not prepublished in the Canada Gazette, Part I. Stakeholders, including agricultural producers and exporters, intellectual property professional associations, and financial services providers, were consulted in advance of and throughout negotiations for the UK’s accession to the CPTPP.

Indigenous engagement, consultation and modern treaty obligations

An assessment of modern treaty implications did not identify any adverse impacts on potential or established Aboriginal or treaty rights, which are recognized and affirmed in section 35 of the Constitution Act, 1982.

Instrument choice

The Regulations Amending the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Procurement Inquiry Regulations are needed to implement Canada’s government procurement commitments under the Accession Protocol. Regulations are the only instruments for achieving Canada’s international commitments in respect of these matters.

Regulatory analysis

Benefits and costs

The amendment will not impose any costs on businesses. It will simply ensure access for Canadian and UK suppliers to timely, transparent, and non-discriminatory review procedures for procurement processes covered under the Accession Protocol.

Any potential incremental costs to the CITT associated with examining incremental complaints as a result of the amendment entering into force would be managed within the CITT’s existing resources.

Small business lens

Analysis under the small business lens concluded that the amendment will ensure a fair and transparent process to challenge federal procurement decisions for businesses, including small businesses, engaged in trade under CPTPP.

One-for-one rule

The one-for-one rule does not apply to this amendment, as there is no change in administrative costs or burden to small businesses. The amendment to the Regulations is administrative in nature and will not incrementally change procedures for federal procurement processes.

Regulatory cooperation and alignment

The amendment to the Regulations is not related to a work plan or commitment under a regulatory cooperation forum. It is necessary for Canada to fulfill its commitments under the Accession Protocol, which is an international agreement.

International obligations

The amendment to the Regulations is linked to Canada’s commitments to the UK under the Accession Protocol to the CPTPP, which is a binding international treaty.

Effects on the environment

In accordance with the Cabinet Directive on Strategic Environmental and Economic Assessment (SEEA Directive), a preliminary scan concluded that a strategic environmental assessment is not required.

Gender-based analysis plus

No gender-based analysis plus (GBA+) impacts have been identified for this initiative. The amendment to the Regulations is not expected to result in any differential impacts on the basis of identity factors such as gender, race, ethnicity, sexuality, religion, age, etc.

Implementation, compliance and enforcement, and service standards

The amendment to the Regulations comes into force on the date the Act comes into force. The amended Regulations will continue to be applied by the CITT as part of its responsibilities to consider and make findings with respect to complaints concerning federal procurements that are subject to Canada’s trade agreement obligations.

Contact

Marie-Hélène Cantin
Director
Trade Rules
International Trade Policy Division
Department of Finance Canada
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0G5
Email: Marie-Helene.Cantin@fin.gc.ca