Absolutely. I think the question is: how big of a problem is it? Also, is the size of that problem large enough to offset the costs of trying to solve that problem?
By Cardus' own research in the province of Ontario, which seems to have the most significant challenge in this regard, 91% of Ontario municipalities follow open tendering for those projects, and make up 70% of the population.
So is that 100%? Obviously not. What is the cost of getting to 100%?
Then, the last thing I'd say to that is, of course, it sounds like Ontario has the most significant challenges, partly as a result of provincial rules. But does it make sense for the federal government to solve a problem that appears to be more localized in one province or region? That will, as I said, have unintended consequences elsewhere, and add delay and red tape to federal programs that already have a tendency towards that.