Buy Canadian (or buy local) purchasing refers to policies favouring domestic or local suppliers in government procurement. While supporting local businesses and jobs is politically popular, these policies can conflict with trade agreements that require governments to treat foreign suppliers equally. Federal trade obligations under agreements like NAFTA/CUSMA, and interprovincial trade agreements, limit municipalities' ability to discriminate based on supplier location. The tension between trade liberalization and local economic development creates ongoing policy debates. Some municipalities find ways to support local purchasing within legal constraints, such as weighting criteria that favour shorter supply chains or local employment.