Log in or register
Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 14 JANUARY 2014

Competition Law And Foreign Investment Review In Canada - Top 10 Issues For 2014

Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Explore more from Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP

In our annual forecast of the year ahead for Canadian competition and foreign investment review law, we evaluate how developments in 2013 will influence these areas of the law in 2014.

CanadaAntitrust/Competition Law
George Addy
George Addy
Mark Katz
Mark Katz
Anita Banicevic
Anita Banicevic
Jim Dinning
Jim Dinning
Erika Douglas
Erika Douglas
John Bodrug
John Bodrug
Author LinkedIn connections

In our annual forecast of the year ahead for Canadian competition and foreign investment review law, we evaluate how developments in 2013 will influence these areas of the law in 2014. Below we set out the Top 10 key issues and trends to watch for this year.

1. A Green Light for Class Actions by Indirect Purchasers

The Supreme Court of Canada issued an important trilogy of decisions in October 2013 on competition class actions. Resolving a dispute between certain provincial courts of appeal, the Court held that indirect purchasers are entitled to assert claims for damages and restitution in class actions relying upon alleged competition law offences. (Indirect purchasers are entities that are one or more steps removed from defendant manufacturers and suppliers in the chain of distribution, such as retailers and consumers.) The Court also set a relatively low bar for certification of competition class actions.

We operate a free-to-view policy, asking only that you register in order to read all of our content. Please login or register to view the rest of this article.

Register for freeORLog in

Related Articles

Legal Intelligence Newsletters: sign up for the latest legal and regulatory news on your chosen topics

Read more about

Related Comparative Guides

See more popular content from

Article

Competition Bureau Reaches Consent Agreement With Empire Company Limited Regarding Grocery Property Controls

The Competition Bureau of Canada has entered into a consent agreement with Empire Company Limited, parent of major grocery chains including Sobeys and Safeway, restricting the company's use of property controls that limit competition. This agreement prohibits Empire from enforcing certain restrictive covenants and exclusivity clauses that prevent other grocers from operating nearby, despite Empire's earlier voluntary commitments. The Bureau's action signals heightened regulatory scrutiny of property control
CanadaAntitrust/Competition Law
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Article

Cassels On Competition: October 2026

More particularly, the Plaintiff had argued that the drip pricing provision in subsection 52(1.3) of the Competition Act requires “all-inclusive pricing” and forbids all forms of “fragmented or segmented pricing,” and that Ticketmaster’s partitioned price representations are thus prohibited as a criminal conduct and amount to false or misleading representations covered by the criminal misleading advertising provision in section 52
CanadaAntitrust/Competition Law
Cassels
Cassels
Article

Pre-Merger Notification Guide: Canada’s Competition Act

This comprehensive guide examines the pre-merger notification requirements under Canada's Competition Act, providing essential information for parties considering transactions that may trigger mandatory filing obligations. The guide outlines the thresholds, procedures, and compliance considerations that businesses must navigate when planning mergers and acquisitions in the Canadian market.
CanadaAntitrust/Competition Law
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Article

Kalibrate Consent Agreement Targets Third-Party Information Sharing As Abuse Of Dominance

On September 24, 2026, the Competition Bureau (Bureau) announced it had entered into a consent agreement with Kalibrate Canada Inc. (Kalibrate) to address concerns regarding Kalibrate’s collection and distribution of detailed retail fuel data through its Kalibrate Market Intelligence product (KMI). More broadly, the matter signals the Bureau’s willingness to challenge information-sharing arrangements under multiple provisions of the Competition Act (Act), including through abuse of dominance where the intermediary itself is alleged to be dominant.
CanadaAntitrust/Competition Law
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
Article

Key Takeaways From All In 2026: AI Sovereignty, Infrastructure And Canada’s Growing Role

Canada and Germany are making unprecedented investments in AI infrastructure and safety research, while major players like Cohere, OpenAI, and Bell position themselves in a rapidly evolving landscape of technology sovereignty. How will these strategic moves reshape the global AI race and what do they mean for businesses navigating data residency, vendor relationships, and emerging regulatory frameworks?
CanadaStrategy
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Article

From Compliance To The Courtroom: Navigating Canada’s Rapidly Escalating Anti-Money Laundering Enforcement Landscape

Canada's anti-money laundering enforcement regime is undergoing a seismic shift, with FINTRAC issuing record penalties and new legislation increasing penalty caps by up to 40 times. Understanding how to navigate the enforcement pipeline—from examination through Federal Court litigation—is now critical for reporting entities facing unprecedented regulatory scrutiny.
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Article

Investment Canada Act - Guide For Foreign Investors In Canada: 2026

Davies' Investment Canada Act guide provides foreign investors with essential information about national security reviews and net benefit assessments when establishing or acquiring Canadian businesses. The comprehensive resource outlines review processes, timing considerations, and regulatory requirements that non-Canadian entities must navigate when investing in Canada.
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Article

Bill C-36: Rewriting The Rules For Canadian Private Sector Privacy

Canada's proposed Privacy and Consumer Data Act introduces sweeping changes to private sector privacy regulation, including a new enforcement body with unprecedented penalty powers, mandatory cross-border transfer assessments, and enhanced protections for children's data. Organizations operating in Canada face a fundamental shift from PIPEDA's principles-based approach to a prescriptive compliance regime with significant financial and legal consequences.
CanadaPrivacy
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Article

The New Cost Of Environmental Non-Compliance In Québec: $300,000 Per Day

Quebec has dramatically increased minimum environmental fines for designated industrial activities by a factor of ten, with penalties now reaching up to $300,000 per day for contaminant releases. These changes, effective August 13, 2026, apply to nine categories of industrial operations including aluminum smelters, mines, cement plants, and chemical facilities, with fines doubling on first recidivism and tripling thereafter.
CanadaEnvironment
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP
Davies Ward Phillips & Vineberg LLP