Full Podcast: https://lovethenorth.ca/article/261008-sudbury-ward-11-shawn-ouimette When the city buys goods and services, how does it make sure taxpayers aren’t paying more than they should? In this Love the North interview, Ward 11 candidate Shawn Ouimette recounts an experience working for a printer company. He says a printer normally sold for $20,000 was priced at $24,000 for the city—just below what he recalls as the competitive bidding threshold at the time. According to his account, the city purchased two, adding $8,000 to the bill compared with the company’s usual selling price. His story raises a broader question: how often are municipal purchases checked against market prices, even when they fall below the threshold for competitive bidding? Shawn proposes lowering that threshold to require competition on more purchases. The discussion explores how stronger price comparisons and spending oversight could help taxpayers get more value from the money they already contribute. Every unnecessary dollar spent is a dollar unavailable for roads, sidewalks and other services residents rely on.