Over a month ago, I decided to replace my aging furnace and install a high-efficiency heat pump. For years, British Columbia has encouraged homeowners to make exactly this choice, investing hundreds of millions of dollars in rebates and programs to accelerate the adoption of heat pumps and other clean energy technologies. My furnace was nearing the end of its life anyway, and with summer approaching, the prospect of adding air conditioning made the decision pretty easy. The d

There is an uncomfortable truth about procurement that rarely gets said plainly: buyers don’t always choose the firm best suited for the work. Often, they choose the firm that feels safest to defend. That distinction shapes who gets access, who gets trusted, and who gets paid to solve the most important problems. I have seen this from both sides of the table. Earlier in my career, I often needed small but highly specialized firms—they brought the experience and expertise that