Codes & registration
What is a GSIN code?
A GSIN (Goods and Services Identification Number) is a code the Government of Canada has historically used to categorize the goods, services, and construction it procures. The CanadaBuys platform now primarily classifies tenders with UNSPSC codes, but GSINs still appear in legacy notices, supplier registrations, and historical award data.
Last updated: 2026-06-12
How GSINs were used
On the former Buyandsell.gc.ca platform, every tender carried one or more GSINs, and suppliers registered the GSINs they could supply to receive matching notifications. The codes are alphanumeric and hierarchical — a letter-prefixed root narrowing into more specific categories (for example, N-prefixed codes for goods and various letter series for services and construction).
GSINs were derived in part from the US Federal Supply Classification, which is why portions of the goods hierarchy resemble US FSC/NSN codes.
The shift to UNSPSC on CanadaBuys
When federal tendering moved to CanadaBuys, the primary classification system became UNSPSC (United Nations Standard Products and Services Code), an eight-digit international taxonomy. New notices are categorized by UNSPSC, and supplier matching on CanadaBuys follows it.
GSINs have not vanished: historical tenders and awards reference them, some departmental systems still record them, and crosswalks between GSIN and UNSPSC exist for mapping old data to new.
What Canadian suppliers should do
Identify the UNSPSC codes for what you sell — that is what drives matching on CanadaBuys today — and keep a note of your legacy GSINs for interpreting older award histories and any system that still asks for them.
Because NAICS also appears across Canadian and US procurement, most Canadian suppliers end up tracking three systems: UNSPSC for CanadaBuys matching, NAICS for cross-border and statistical purposes, and GSIN for legacy data.
| System | Status | Where you'll see it |
|---|---|---|
| GSIN | Legacy | Historical tenders/awards, some registrations |
| UNSPSC | Current on CanadaBuys | New federal tender notices and matching |
| NAICS | Current, cross-border | Industry identification, US procurement, statistics |
Frequently asked questions
- Do I still need a GSIN code?
- For new CanadaBuys tenders, UNSPSC is what matters. GSINs remain useful for reading historical award data and for the occasional system or form that still requests them.
- What replaced GSIN on CanadaBuys?
- UNSPSC — the United Nations Standard Products and Services Code, an eight-digit international classification that CanadaBuys uses to categorize tender notices.
- How is GSIN different from NAICS?
- GSIN classifies what is being bought (the good or service); NAICS classifies the industry of the business supplying it. A janitorial company has one NAICS code but may supply against several service GSINs or UNSPSC categories.
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Related answers
This article explains government procurement concepts in general terms and is not legal advice. Rely on the specific solicitation documents for any opportunity you pursue.