Share on LinkedInShare on LinkedIn

ARTICLE · 14 AUGUST 2008

Competition Panel’s Report Is Underwhelming At Best

Torys
Torys
Contributor
Torys

Torys

Torys LLP is an international business law firm that works with clients who expect the best advice...

View firm profile
Explore more from Torys

The Competition Policy Review Panel’s recent report has commendable objectives, but those hoping for innovative proposals for real reform have been badly let down.

CanadaAntitrust/Competition Law
Omar Wakil
Omar Wakil
Author LinkedIn connections

Published in The Lawyers Weekly, July 18, 2008

The Competition Policy Review Panel's recent report has commendable objectives, but those hoping for innovative proposals for real reform have been badly let down. The panel wants to reduce restrictions on foreign investment, align the Canadian antitrust regime with the U.S. and make Canadian business more competitive. Unfortunately, the specific recommendations it makes to achieve these objectives are of uneven quality: although some are welcome, many are uninspired and unoriginal; several simply have no merit.

The government-commissioned panel's main task was to assess two key statutes — the Investment Canada Act and the Competition Act.

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

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

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

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

Ontario Invites Expressions Of Interest For Licences Under The Geologic Carbon Storage Act

Ontario has launched its first call for expressions of interest in carbon capture and storage licences under the new Geologic Carbon Storage Act, targeting Crown-owned pore space beneath lakebeds surrounding the Ontario Peninsula. The detailed submission requirements reveal expectations that proponents have advanced well beyond initial planning stages, with the process serving as a critical test of Ontario's emerging CCS framework and its attractiveness to industry.
CanadaEnvironment
Torys
Torys
Article

Government Of Canada Makes Significant Changes To Energy Project Approvals Process

On September 3, the Government of Canada published amendments removing seven types of energy projects from the Physical Activities Regulations (the Project List) under the Impact Assessment Act (IAA). As a result, these types of projects will no longer be subject to the IAA but will continue to be regulated by the Canada Energy Regulator Act (CER Act) or applicable provincial environmental assessment regimes.
CanadaEnergy and Natural Resources
Torys
Torys
Article

New Flight Path: Canada Seeks Private Investment In Airports Through Long-term Concession Arrangements

Canada has announced plans to attract private investment through long-term concessions to operate its four largest airports: Toronto-Pearson, Vancouver International, Montréal-Trudeau, and Calgary International. The federal government will retain ownership of the underlying airport land and assets while seeking tens of billions of dollars in private capital to be reinvested in regional airports and local transport infrastructure. Key details regarding the scope of private operational involvement, award
CanadaGovernment, Public Sector
Torys
Torys