City considers framework to give preference to local firms in wake of Sals situation

A call to prioritize local businesses in city contract evaluations is moving forward at city hall, following a controversial decision to replace Salisbury House with a U.S.-based company at two city-owned golf courses.

If the new motion is approved, city staff will report on options to update the tendering process so that it awards some points to businesses for being locally based.

“Other cities look at options that promote local business and look at the tendering process and that has happened clear across the country … The report back (would be) on options to promote local businesses. That is what other cities do,” said Coun. Sherri Rollins (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry).

Rollins, and her colleagues on the City Centre Community Committee, voted unanimously Friday to call for the report. City council will cast the final vote on ordering it.

As the Free Press reported Tuesday, Salisbury House, a longtime Winnipeg restaurant, is set to end its 16 years of providing food and beverages at the Kildonan Park and Windsor Park golf courses. Instead, the city awarded the next four-year contract to Aramark Canada, the Canadian branch of a major U.S.-based company. That contract took effect April 1.

“Other cities look at options that promote local business.”

Rollins said the Salisbury House replacement thrust the issue into the spotlight this week but she’s been frustrated to see little action at city hall to support the “buy local” movement for at least a year.

“Jobs in Winnipeg and support for the local economy are reasons Winnipeggers want to see policy action on this,” she said.

While some city officials have warned that altering the award process on bids to prefer local companies could violate international trade agreements, Rollins disagreed.

“People are saying look at local and have supporting local a value within your procurement framework … You can be trade-compliant and still pursue a robust buy local agenda,” she said.

Salisbury House workers and many Winnipeggers have spoken out to oppose the city’s golf course contract decision.

Amid trade disputes with the United States, many argue it’s never been more important to buy local and support local companies.

Dave Petrishen, operations manager with Salisbury House, said he supports the proposed change to evaluating contracts.

“When the money, the profits and the revenue stay here, the benefits are great.”

“I absolutely think that’s the right thing to do. Salisbury House being a Winnipeg company, a Manitoba company with eight locations, 95 years in the (city). We meet all the criteria of local. We are 100 per cent Manitoba-owned. Our money stays right in our neighbourhood,” said Petrishen.

While non-local companies also hire some Winnipeg staff, he said businesses based in the city keep and spend their profits locally, sparking further investments.

“When the money, the profits and the revenue stay here, the benefits are great, whether it be hiring additional employees or reinvesting in our restaurants, seeking out other Manitoba businesses to do business with,” said Petrishen.

Rollins said she feels the change is long overdue, noting council extensively discussed ideas to support local businesses and protect local jobs through procurement in 2022.

joyanne.pursaga@freepress.mb.ca

X: @joyanne_pursaga

Winnipeg Free Press | Newsletter

Dan Lett | Not for Attribution

Tuesdays

A weekly look at politics close to home and around the world.

Sign up for Dan Lett | Not for Attribution

Sign Up

I agree to the Terms and Conditions, Cookie and Privacy Policies, and CASL agreement.

Joyanne Pursaga
Reporter

Joyanne is city hall reporter for the Winnipeg Free Press. A reporter since 2004, she began covering politics exclusively in 2012, writing on city hall and the Manitoba Legislature for the Winnipeg Sun before joining the Free Press in early 2020. Read more about Joyanne.

Every piece of reporting Joyanne produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press‘s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press’s history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates.