Competition Compliance Programs

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On July 22, 2024, the Competition Bureau (the “Bureau”) announced that it is launching a public consultation to gather stakeholder feedback relating to the interpretation and application of the new greenwashing provisions of the Competition Act (the “Act”). Contemporaneously with this announcement, the Bureau also published a new issue (Volume 7) of its Deceptive Marketing Practices Digest, focusing on the application of provisions of the Act which existed prior to the amendments to environmental claims. As discussed below, the Digest does provide limited new guidance regarding environmental “claims about the future” (such as net zero claims).Continue Reading Competition Bureau Announces Public Consultation and Guidance on Greenwashing

Bill C-59 and its significant expansion of private competition litigation: Where are we now?

Recognizing the critical role of the Competition Act (the “Act”) in promoting dynamic and fair markets, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, announced on February 7, 2022 that he would carefully consider ways to modernize and improve its operation. Following this announcement, significant competition law reform has taken place in Canada, including the passage of Bill C-19 on June 23, 2022, the passage of Bill C-56 on December 15, 2023 and the passage of Bill C-59 on June 20, 2024 (collectively, the “Bills”).Continue Reading Series – The Evolving Competition Law Landscape in Canada: Part 5 – Private Competition Litigation

Deceptive Marketing Practices (Greenwashing, Ordinary Sales Pricing, Drip Pricing) – Where Are We Now?

Recognizing the critical role of the Competition Act (the “Act”) in promoting dynamic and fair markets, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, announced on February 7, 2022 that he would carefully consider ways to modernize and improve its operation. Following this announcement, significant competition law reform has taken place in Canada, including the passage of Bill C-19 on June 23, 2022, the passage of Bill C-56 on December 15, 2023 and the passage of Bill C-59 on June 20, 2024 (collectively, the “Bills”).

The Bills include amendments that touch on virtually all facets of competition policy in Canada, including, without limitation, merger review, abuse of dominance, criminal cartels, competitor collaborations, deceptive marketing, private rights of action and market studies. All provisions of the Bills are now in force, with the exception of a select few amendments which will come into force in 2024 and 2025.Continue Reading Series – The Evolving Competition Law Landscape in Canada: Part 4 – Deceptive Marketing Practices

Cartels, Agreements and Collaboration – Where Are We Now?

Recognizing the critical role of the Competition Act (the “Act”) in promoting dynamic and fair markets, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, announced on February 7, 2022 that he would carefully consider ways to modernize and improve its operation. Following this announcement, significant competition law reform has taken place in Canada, including the passage of Bill C-19 on June 23, 2022, the passage of Bill C-56 on December 15, 2023 and the passage of Bill C-59 on June 20, 2024 (collectively, the “Bills”).

The Bills include amendments that touch on virtually all facets of competition policy in Canada, including, without limitation, merger review, abuse of dominance, criminal cartels, competitor collaborations, deceptive marketing, private rights of action and market studies. All provisions of the Bills are now in force, with the exception of a select few amendments which will come into force in 2024 and 2025.Continue Reading Series – The Evolving Competition Law Landscape in Canada: Part 3 – Cartels, Agreements and Collaboration

Merger Review – Where Are We Now?

Recognizing the critical role of the Competition Act (the “Act”) in promoting dynamic and fair markets, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, announced on February 7, 2022 that he would carefully consider ways to modernize and improve its operation. Following this announcement, significant competition law reform has taken place in Canada, including the passage of Bill C-19 on June 23, 2022, the passage of Bill C-56 on December 15, 2023 and the passage of Bill C-59 on June 20, 2024 (collectively, the “Bills”).

The Bills include amendments that touch on virtually all facets of competition policy in Canada, including, without limitation, merger review, abuse of dominance, criminal cartels, competitor collaborations, deceptive marketing, private rights of action and market studies. All provisions of the Bills are now in force, with the exception of a select few amendments which will come into force in 2024 and 2025.Continue Reading Series – The Evolving Competition Law Landscape in Canada: Part 2 – Merger Review

Abuse of Dominance – Where Are We Now?

Recognizing the critical role of the Competition Act (the “Act”) in promoting dynamic and fair markets, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, announced on February 7, 2022 that he would carefully consider ways to modernize and improve its operation. Following this announcement, significant competition law reform has taken place in Canada, including the passage of Bill C-19 on June 23, 2022, the passage of Bill C-56 on December 15, 2023 and the passage of Bill C-59 on June 20, 2024 (collectively, the “Bills”).Continue Reading Series – The Evolving Competition Law Landscape in Canada: Part 1 – Abuse of Dominance

The Evolving Competition Law Landscape in Canada – Where Are We Now and What’s Next?

The final (and most significant) legislative bill in Canada’s current competition law reform process – Bill C-59 –  received royal assent on June 20, 2024. 

Recognizing the critical role of the Competition Act (the “Act”) in promoting dynamic and fair markets, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, announced on February 7, 2022 that he would carefully consider ways to modernize and improve its operation. Following this announcement, significant competition law reform has taken place in Canada, including the passage of the following three bills:Continue Reading BILL C-59 RECEIVES ROYAL ASSENT

The rise of Artificial Intelligence (AI) is transforming businesses around the world, offering unprecedented opportunities for innovation and economic prosperity. However, it also presents unique challenges for competition authorities tasked with ensuring fair and efficient markets. In response, the competition authorities such as the Canadian Competition Bureau, the UK Competition and Market Authority (CMA), the European Commission – DG Competition (EC) and the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have been actively engaging in consultations and research to understand the implications of AI on competition policy. This blog highlights some of these agencies’ efforts to adapt competition policy to evolving digital markets as well as noting some of the key legal antitrust risks for business.Continue Reading Competition Authorities shining the light on AI

Competition Act Merger Notification Thresholds

The Canadian government has announced that the transaction-size threshold for pre-notification under the Competition Act will remain at C$93M for 2024. This is the third year that the transaction-size threshold has been fixed at this level, despite inflationary pressures throughout this period.

Mergers are subject to pre-closing notification in Canada if certain thresholds are met. These thresholds include a transaction-size threshold and a party-size threshold.Continue Reading Merger Transaction-Size Threshold Remains Frozen at C$93M; Investment Canada Act Review Thresholds Increased

Federal Government Releases Proposed Bill relating to Fall Economic Statement – including Significant Competition Act Amendments

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Revised text of Bill C-56 Released

On November 27, 2023, the Federal Government passed a Notice of Ways and Means Motion to introduce a bill entitled An Act to implement certain provisions of the fall economic statement tabled in Parliament on November 21, 2023 and certain provisions of the budget tabled in Parliament on March 28, 2023, which was tabled on November 30, 2023 as Bill C-59 (the “Bill”). The Bill proposes amendments that implement some of the goals discussed in the 2023 Fall Economic Statement  to strengthen competition in Canada (as discussed in our previous blog post).Continue Reading Significant Competition Act Amendments on the Horizon