UK Added to CITT Procurement Inquiries

Summary#

The final rule Regulations Amending the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Procurement Inquiry Regulations (SOR/2026-157) adds the United Kingdom to the list of CPTPP members in those regulations. That lets the Canadian International Trade Tribunal start hearing procurement complaints involving Canadian and UK suppliers under the UK’s accession to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans‑Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). The regulations were registered on June 22, 2026 and published on July 1, 2026; they come into force when 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 comes into force (or on the day they are registered, if later).

What it does#

• Adds United Kingdom to Part 10 of the schedule to the Canadian International Trade Tribunal Procurement Inquiry Regulations.
• Enables the Canadian International Trade Tribunal (CITT) to accept and investigate complaints from Canadian and UK suppliers about federal procurement processes that fall under the UK’s CPTPP accession commitments (the Accession Protocol).
• Sets the coming-into-force rule tied to the Act implementing the UK’s accession: the regulations take effect when section 23 of that Act comes into force, or on the registration day if that has already passed.

Who's affected#

• Canadian businesses and suppliers who bid on federal government contracts covered by the CPTPP rules.
• UK businesses and suppliers seeking to bid on those same federal contracts now covered by the Accession Protocol.
• Federal departments and agencies that run procurement processes governed by CPTPP commitments.
• The Canadian International Trade Tribunal, which will handle any additional procurement complaints that arise because of the UK’s accession.

Why it matters#

• It gives UK suppliers the same access as Canadian suppliers to a formal, independent review of federal procurement decisions covered by the CPTPP Accession Protocol.
• It helps Canada meet its international commitment after the UK joined the CPTPP, so trade and procurement rules line up with the treaty responsibilities.
• The change is largely administrative and is not expected to create new costs for businesses or change how procurement itself works — it mainly expands who can file complaints with the CITT.