Price competition has been a hot topic in Canada. With two recent major mergers and a $50 million bread inquiry, the Canadian Competition Bureau is making headlines. It makes sense that people have more questions about the Competition Bureau. They are an agency most Canadians know very little about.
What is the Competition Bureau Canada?
The Competition Bureau is a Canadian federal organization. It acts as an independent law enforcement agency. It works alongside the Competition Tribunal to enforce the Competition Act. The Competition Act and its related laws help the Canadian economy. They also work with other Government of Canada departments like the Innovation Science and Economic Development Canada.
The Commissioner of Competition is the head of the Competition Bureau. The current Commissioner of Competition is Matthew Boswell. He has held this title since 2019. His specialties are in business merger reviews and criminal investigations.
What type of work does the Competition Bureau Canada do?
The Competition Bureau protects Canadian companies and consumers. The scope of their work includes investigating, assessing and enforcing laws in regards to:
- Deceptive marketing practices
- Labelling requirements, including “Made in Canada”
- Fraud and scams
- Bid-rigging, price-fixing, and illegal agreements
- Mergers and acquisitions
- Restrictive trade practices
They are the “watchdog” of competition law. They work with other Canadian government organizations to ensure a fair market.
The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre is a national call center. It’s jointly managed by the RCMP, Ontario Provincial Police, and the Competition Bureau. It collects information on fraud and identity theft.
The Bureau and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner (OPC) have also worked together. Mainly on issues related to privacy concerns in the digital economy. The OPC deals with privacy and personal information but must apply to the Supreme Court of Canada to enforce fines or orders.
The Competition Bureau also works with partners like the Canada Food Inspection Agency. The federal, provincial, and territorial governments share responsibility for food safety and nutrition.
How does the Competition Bureau protect consumers and the Canadian economy?
The Competition Bureau makes sure Canadian businesses compete fairly. They do so by:
- Preventing companies from bid-rigging, price-fixing, and making other unfair agreements.
- Reviewing company mergers to make sure they don’t take advantage of Canadians.
A competitive marketplace is important. A healthy market allows buyers to access information and make informed decisions. A healthy market also provides a large range of goods and services at competitive prices. This encourages market innovation and helps to lower costs. All while fueling economic growth.
The Competition Bureau is an important element of competition in Canada. To keep Canadians informed and the government accountable, there is an outlet for assessing contracts. Any government contract in excess of $10,000 is declared on public record. This record is called the Proactive disclosure for Contracts over $10,000 and is available to all Canadians. To access the information all that’s required is to complete an ATIP Request.
What is the importance of a competitive marketplace?
Competition is good for Canadians. It keeps prices low and ensures high-quality products and services. When businesses compete fairly, they must provide what consumers want at prices they’re willing to pay. This gives consumers more power in the marketplace. Healthy competition encourages businesses to maintain reasonable prices. They are also less likely to offer products and services that are expensive, low quality, or not what consumers want. When there’s no competition, consumer choices are limited and they are forced to accept subpar products or go without.
Productivity is crucial for our economy. It shows how well Canadian companies compete both at home and abroad. It ultimately leads to a higher standard of living. Productivity measures the output from the work we put in to produce goods and services that we buy, sell, and trade.
Competition drives creativity in businesses. Not only are they forced to create new products, but also to find new opportunities. Creativity also means more efficient operations to reduce costs and lower prices.
Benefits of healthy market competition:
- A competitive economy increases innovation and productivity
- Competitive prices and product choice
- Stimulates development
- Gives smaller businesses a chance to compete
Notable Examples of the Competition Bureau Canada’s Work
The Competition Bureau is fearless when it comes to fighting for proper business practices.
Notable examples of their work include:
The Bread Inquiry
The Bread Inquiry started in 2016. Allegations came out against Canadian food industry giants. The claims said they conspired to fix prices on commercial bread products since 2001. At the time, Michael Mccain of Maple Leaf Foods was the majority owner.
Despite this, Maple Leaf Foods was not involved in the guilty plea and denied any wrongdoing. The admission of guilt by Canada Bread comes from its new owners. Weston Foods Inc. and Grupo Bimbo Canada Bread will pay a $50 million fine for price-fixing.
Terry Croteau
Terry Croteau is a Canadian charged under the deceptive marketing provisions of the Competition Act. He faced accusations of committing fraud over $5,000 and soliciting businesses through phone, mail, and fax. He lied to boost online business listings and made a fake letter from a collection agency. The court found him guilty and sentenced him to 30 months in prison. He must also pay $1.28 million in restitution for scamming Canadian businesses.
BPR-Infrastructure Inc.
An investigation by the Bureau found the company’s involvement in bid-rigging. BPR-Infrastructure Inc. has to pay $485,000 for cheating bids on engineering services in Québec City and Montreal from 2002 to 2011. The company agreed to pay the fine as part of a deal with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.
The Competition Bureau’s news releases are a great source for keeping up to date on new competition issues.
Conclusion
The Competition Bureau is an independent law enforcement agency. It handles the administration and enforcement of competition law. It often works alongside other federal organizations to protect and promote competition for the benefit of buyers and sellers.
The Competition Bureau’s purpose is to:
- Maintain and encourage business competition in Canada
- Promote the efficiency of the Canadian economy
- Create opportunities for Canadian participation in world markets
Do the recent Bank of Canada interest rate hikes have you struggling to keep up with bills? Do you have questions about money or debt? Contact us today. One of our certified credit counsellors is ready to help.
