https://lovethenorth.ca/article/261008-sudbury-ward-11-shawn-ouimet When you spend your own money, you compare prices, look for deals and make sure you're getting value. But what happens when you're spending taxpayers' money? In this Love the North interview, Greater Sudbury Ward 11 candidate Shawn Ouimet raises serious questions about how City Hall purchases goods and services. Ouimet shares an experience from his time working for a printer company. According to his account, a printer normally selling for $20,000 was priced at $24,000 when sold to the City of Greater Sudbury. **That's an extra $4,000 per printer. And the city reportedly purchased TWO!** That's $8,000 more than the company's usual selling price, according to Ouimet. He says the purchase price was kept just below the competitive bidding threshold in place at the time, raising questions about whether taxpayers were getting fair market value. Now imagine this happening across multiple departments purchasing computers, equipment, vehicles, supplies and professional services. **How much money could taxpayers potentially save if every municipal purchase were checked against competitive market prices?** Ouimet suggests lowering the spending threshold that requires competitive bidding, creating more opportunities for suppliers to compete and potentially reducing unnecessary expenses. Municipal purchasing rules serve a purpose, but meeting those rules doesn't automatically guarantee the lowest price or best value. When residents are struggling with rising property taxes, every dollar matters. **Shouldn't City Hall be expected to shop as carefully with taxpayers' money as residents do with their own?** Watch the full interview and hear Ouimet's firsthand account. #LoveTheNorth #ShawnOuimet #Ward11 #GreaterSudbury #SudburyElection2026 #TaxpayerDollars #CityHall #Accountability