Federal Contractors Program

The Federal Contractors Program (FCP) was initiated by a Cabinet Decision in 1986 and operates parallel to the Legislated Employment Equity Program (LEEP).

Whereas the Employment Equity Act (1995) covers federally regulated employers of the LEEP program, FCP applies to provincially regulated employers with a national workforce in Canada of 100 or more employees. Specifically, FCP applies to contractors - those provincially regulated employers which receive federal government goods or services contracts of $200,000 or more. As a condition for bidding on large federal contracts, such contractors are required to certify in writing their commitment to employment equity.

The program is administered by workplace equity staff of Labour Standards & Workplace Equity from national headquarters, as well as by a network of regional Workplace Equity Officers across Canada. These same officers enforce the program by conducting periodic on-site compliance reviews at the premises of contractors.

Contractors which refuse to honour their commitment to employment equity and are found in non-compliance with program criteria may lose the right to bid on further federal government contracts.