Two streamsConnect inside Canada, and source beyond it responsibly.
Checked, not just foundSuppliers assessed for quality, safety, environment and ethics.
IndependentWe work for you, not for the suppliers we assess.
Built here, bought here
Why now
Canada is working to make it easier to do business with each other.
There is growing attention across the country on strengthening domestic trade and reducing the friction that makes it harder to buy, sell and build between provinces and territories.
Rules and standards will keep changing. Companies still have to do the practical work: finding the right partners, checking they can deliver, and lining up the systems that let two organizations work together smoothly. That's where we help.
What the program covers
Two ways we help.
Stream 01
Connect inside Canada
Helping Canadian companies find, qualify and work with other Canadian companies.
Find Canadian suppliers, partners and buyers. Targeted searches for companies that can meet your needs, in your province or across the country.
Reduce interprovincial friction. Sort out the differences in requirements, paperwork and expectations that slow down deals within Canada.
Align systems and standards. Bring quality, safety and environmental systems into line so both sides can rely on each other's work.
Stream 02
Source beyond Canada, responsibly
When what you need isn't made here, bringing in new suppliers and products with your eyes open.
Supplier discovery. A shortlist of credible suppliers that fit your product, volume and standards.
Supplier assessment and audits. Quality, safety, environment and ethics, checked on paper and, where it matters, on site.
Specifications and quality agreements. Clear, written expectations so everyone knows what "right" looks like.
Import compliance basics. The practical requirements to think about before goods arrive, and when to bring in a customs broker.
Supply chain risk. Backup options, monitoring and early warning, so one supplier's problem doesn't become yours.
Companies outside Canada that want to sell to, buy from or partner with Canadian companies can register through Canada Connect International.
Who it's for
Canadian companies ready to buy, sell or build differently.
You don't need a procurement department to take part. Many of the companies we have in mind are small and medium organizations doing this for the first time.
Manufacturers and fabricatorsLooking for Canadian inputs, or Canadian customers for what they make.
Contractors and project ownersWho want local suppliers they can count on.
Distributors and buyersReplacing or adding suppliers, at home or abroad.
Growing companiesReady to sell into another province for the first time.
Agencies and organizationsThat want their supply chains to be more Canadian, and more resilient.
How it works
Clear steps, at a pace that suits you.
Understand your needs
What you buy or sell, the standards you work to, and what's getting in the way.
Find the right fit
We research and shortlist potential suppliers, partners or buyers, in Canada first.
Check before you commit
Assessments and audits, so you know who you're dealing with before you sign.
Set it up to last
Specifications, quality agreements and aligned systems, then regular check-ins.
What we check in a supplier
A good price isn't enough. Can they deliver, safely and honestly?
Our assessments draw on decades of auditing quality, safety, environmental and security systems. The depth depends on what you're buying and the risk involved.
Quality
Can they make it right, every time? Process control, inspection, traceability and how they handle problems.
We look atTheir quality system, records, and a sample of recent nonconformities and fixes.
Health and safety
Do their people go home safe? A poor safety record is often a sign of deeper problems.
We look atHazard controls, incident history, training and what we see on the floor.
Environment
Are they managing waste, emissions and chemicals responsibly, and within the law?
We look atPermits, environmental controls and how materials are handled and stored.
Ethics and labour
Are workers treated fairly, and does the business operate honestly?
We look atWorking conditions, hours and wages, subcontracting and business integrity.
Security and continuity
Can they keep supplying you if something goes wrong, and protect your information?
We look atBackup plans, key dependencies, site security and information handling.
Documents and compliance
Can they back up their claims with the paperwork you and your customers will need?
We look atCertificates, test reports, product specifications and origin information.
Please note: Canada Connect is an independent consulting service offered by Industry Stewardship. It is not a government program, a marketplace or a brokerage, and we work for you, not for the suppliers we assess.
We are not lawyers or licensed customs brokers. Where your situation needs legal, tax or customs advice, we'll tell you so and work alongside your advisors.
Free to join
Registration is free. Always.
Canada Connect is built to be genuinely useful to Canadian companies. Join, tell us what you make and what you need, and we'll help you find the right connections. If we connect you with a buyer and a deal goes ahead, a small success fee applies, agreed with you in writing first.
Free
Register and be found
List what you produce and sell, across Canada and abroad, and the goods and services you're looking for.
Optional add-on
Get your company verified
Have Industry Stewardship audit and verify your company, so buyers can see you've been independently checked.
Optional add-on
Check a supplier or client
About to do business with someone new? Hire Industry Stewardship to verify them before you commit: who they are, what they can deliver, and how they operate.
Only when a deal happens
Get connected
We introduce buyers and sellers who are a good fit. If a deal goes ahead, a small success fee applies, agreed with you in writing before any introduction.
You don't need to be verified to join or to be connected. Verification is an add-on, done only when you ask for it or when a buyer asks us to check a supplier. It's a flat fee whatever the result, so our checks stay honest. If we connect you and a deal happens, our success fee is agreed with you in writing first.
Join Canada Connect
Register your company. It's free.
Every company registers for free. Your details help us connect you with the right buyers, suppliers and partners across Canada and beyond.
1. Register freeTell us what you produce and sell, in Canada and abroad, and what goods and services you need.
2. Get connectedWe help match buyers and sellers. If a deal goes ahead, a small success fee applies, agreed in writing first.
Optional add-on: verificationOnly if you want it: have your own company verified, or have us check a new supplier or client before you commit.
