March 24, 2023 – In the pursuit of achieving its net-zero targets, the Government of Canada announced that, effective April 2, 2023, it will compel all of its major suppliers—including construction—to disclose their greenhouse gas emissions and set reduction targets.

The new Treasury Board Standard on the Disclosure of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and the Setting of Reduction Targets outlines that federal government procurements over $25 million should incentive suppliers to disclose their GHG emissions and set reduction targets.

Suppliers can fulfil this requirement by participating in Canada’s Net-Zero Challenge or another approved, internationally recognized and functionally equivalent standard or initiative.

Additionally, the new Treasury Board Standard on Embodied Carbon in Construction will require the reporting and reduction of the embodied carbon footprint of all new major government construction projects, starting with concrete.

Specifically, these projects must use lower-carbon concrete (where available) so that the total GHG emissions associated with the project’s concrete is at least 10% less than the regional average for concrete.

“By baking these requirements into the Government of Canada’s contracting, we will help bring more businesses on board the target of net-zero,” said Steven Guilbeault, Minister, Environment and Climate Change.