November 2, 2023
On October 27, 2023, the province of Quebec made significant changes to its rules relating to publicity contests open to Quebec residents.
October 19, 2023
On October 19, 2023, Canada’s Competition Bureau (Bureau) released a new report of competitive intensity in Canada between 2000 and 2020 (see: Competition Bureau report finds Canada’s competitive intensity in decline).
October 5, 2023
On September 27, 2023, the Canadian Competition Bureau (Bureau) announced that the Dufresne Group Inc. (TDG) (Dufresne Group), based in Manitoba, had agreed to settle an ordinary selling price (OSP) and urgency cue marketing related case for CDN $3.25 million (see: Competition Bureau, News Release, The Dufresne Group to pay $3.25 million penalty to settle Competition Bureau concerns over marketing claims).
September 26, 2023
On September 25, 2023, the Federal Court (Court), in Sunderland v. Toronto Regional Real Estate Board, 2023 FC 1293, per Crampton C.J., issued an important decision in a Canadian price-fixing conspiracy related class action against The Canadian Real Estate Association (CREA), the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB) and a number of Canadian real estate brokerages and franchisors.
June 24, 2023
On June 21, 2023, Canada’s federal Competition Bureau (Bureau) announced that Canada Bread had been sentenced by the Ontario Superior Court to a CDN $50 million fine after pleading guilty to fixing wholesale bread prices in Canada.
This recent Canadian criminal price-fixing fine is the highest price-fixing fine imposed by a Canadian court to date. For more information, see: Canada Bread sentenced to $50 million fine after pleading guilty to fixing wholesale bread prices (June 21, 2023). For more information about criminal price-fixing under the Competition Act in Canada, see: Conspiracy (Cartels).
May 21, 2023
On June 23, 2023, criminal amendments to the Competition Act will come into force. These amendments were enacted on June 23, 2022, as part of Bill C-19, the Budget Implementation Act, 2022, No.1.
They introduced sweeping amendments to Canada’s federal Competition Act, including significant increases to the civil and criminal penalties, new prohibitions on drip pricing and expansion of private right of access to the Competition Tribunal for abuse of dominance, among other things. For more information, see: Sweeping Canadian Competition Act Amendments Passed.
May 19, 2023
On May 18, 2023, the Competition Bureau announced that it was suing Cineplex Inc. (Cineplex) for allegedly advertising misleading ticket prices (see: Competition Bureau sues Cineplex for allegedly advertising misleading ticket prices).
May 15, 2023
Practical Law Canada Competition, of which I am Lawyer Editor, has published a new Legal Update that discusses the Competition Bureau’s new online Competition Compliance Portal, which replaces its former Corporate Compliance Programs Bulletin.
Below is an excerpt with a link to the full Legal Update.
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This Legal Update discusses the Competition Bureau’s (Bureau) new Compliance Portal, which updates its competition law compliance program guidance from its former Corporate Compliance Programs Bulletin. The Update discusses the Bureau’s new Compliance Portal, key changes from its former compliance program guidance and compliance implications for companies and other organizations that need to comply with Canadian competition laws.
Templates/precedents and checklists to run promotional contests in Canada
Templates/precedents and checklists to comply with Canadian anti-spam law (CASL)
