Québec tender thresholds 2026-2027: what suppliers need to know

Published October 12, 2026 · Updated October 12, 2026

Thresholds set the contract value at which a public contract must go to open tender, and which trade agreements apply. They're adjusted every two years. The values below apply from January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027.

For information only, not legal advice. Check with the Secrétariat du Conseil du trésor, the Ministry of Municipal Affairs or an advisor.

Municipalities

$139,000 and up: open procedure (public tender) mandatory, published on SEAO and in a newspaper.
$25,000 to under $139,000: written invitation to at least two suppliers, unless the municipality's contract management by-law sets other rules.
Minimum bid periods: 8 days for a written invitation. For certain open procedures above the Canada–EU agreement thresholds: 25 days if bids can be submitted on SEAO, 30 days otherwise.

Canadian trade agreement thresholds (CFTA and QOTCA)

	Departments & agencies	Education, health & social services, municipalities	Commercial/industrial entities
Goods	$34,700	$139,000	$694,700
Services	$139,000	$139,000	$694,700
Construction	$139,000	$347,400 (CFTA) · $139,000 (QOTCA)	$6,943,900

CETA and WTO-AGP thresholds

	Departments & agencies	Education, health, municipalities	Commercial entities
Goods & services	$368,000 (CETA) · $653,200 (WTO-AGP)	$368,000 (CETA)	$653,200 (CETA)*
Construction	$9,200,000	$9,200,000	$9,200,000

*For public utilities (Hydro-Québec, public transit corporations), the CETA goods and services threshold is $736,000. See Hydro-Québec tenders.

What it means for suppliers

Public calls for tenders from Québec public bodies and municipalities are published on SEAO, which is where a monitoring service like Veillea flags them for you.
Below the thresholds, contracts may be awarded by invitation or directly and aren't necessarily published.
For construction and IT, see our construction and IT pages.

Start free Start 14-day free trial

14-day free trial on paid plans, no credit card.

Frequently asked questions

What is the public tender threshold for Québec municipalities?

From January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027, an open procedure is mandatory at $139,000 and up. Between $25,000 and that threshold, a written invitation to at least two suppliers applies unless the contract management by-law sets other rules.

What are the thresholds for Québec government departments?

Under the CFTA and QOTCA: $34,700 for goods, $139,000 for services and $139,000 for construction.

Which threshold applies to Hydro-Québec?

For commercial or industrial entities, CFTA/QOTCA thresholds are $694,700 (goods and services) and $6,943,900 (construction). The CETA goods and services threshold for public utilities like Hydro-Québec is $736,000.

How long are these thresholds valid?

From January 1, 2026 to December 31, 2027. They're revised every two years.

Where are Québec public tenders published?

On SEAO for public bodies and municipalities. Veillea monitors SEAO and CanadaBuys and flags the notices that match your profile, with English summaries.