As the CIO for Queen’s University and later the University of Toronto, I was certainly aware of OECM, but I’ll admit I never fully appreciated the strength of their model. It wasn’t until I attended their Procurement Summit—and later had the privilege of serving on their Customer Advisory Council—that I began to understand the depth of value OECM brings to Ontario’s public sector institutions.
What stood out immediately was how intentionally OECM listens. They are deeply committed to understanding the needs of the communities they serve, and they never stop asking for advice, guidance, and honest feedback. That openness is not performative; it is built into their culture. They genuinely want to co‑design solutions with the sector rather than simply deliver them.
The impact of their work is significant. OECM’s procurements saved our institutions enormous time, effort, and resources—time that would otherwise be spent running our own complex, multi‑month procurement processes. Instead, we gained access to professionally run, sector‑aligned agreements that we could trust. Their processes are rigorous, transparent, and grounded in the realities of education, research, and public service.
With OECM, we know the solutions have been evaluated with care, structured with integrity, and designed to create value for the entire education sector. They have built a model that strengthens institutional capacity, reduces duplication, and ensures that public dollars are used wisely. More importantly, they have built relationships—real partnerships—based on trust, collaboration, and shared purpose.
As OECM marks its 20th anniversary, I want to recognize the enormous contribution they have made to Ontario’s public education institutions. Their work has helped us operate more efficiently, more strategically, and with greater confidence. OECM has become an essential part of the province’s public‑sector infrastructure, and I am grateful for the leadership, professionalism, and commitment they bring to the community every day.
Congratulations to the entire OECM team on twenty years of service, innovation, and impact. Here’s to the next twenty.
