Starting in 2021, the Government of Canada is transitioning from the use of the Goods and Services Identification Numbers (GSIN) classification system for procurement items to an international standard, the United Nations Standard Products and Services Codes (UNSPSC).

The decision to transition to UNSPSC classification is driven by the Government of Canada’s need to meet evolving reporting obligations established through Treasury Board’s Data Standard on Classification of Procurement Items, and trade agreement requirements.

Key Benefits of the Switch to UNSPSC
The adoption of UNSPSC as the new data standard for classification of procurement items is expected to provide an improved classification system for products and services, increase the ease of data sharing, and centralize the governance of the classification system.

How Will Suppliers Use UNSPSC?
In a way similar to how they use GSIN codes today, suppliers will use UNSPSC to: