Government Proposes Extensive Overhaul Of The Competition Act

The Canadian government has introduced major proposed amendments to the Competition Act (the Act) that will radically alter Canada's merger control, abuse of dominance and competitor collaborations enforcement regimes.

We expect the government will want the proposed changes to be passed quickly as part of the Fall Economic Statement Implementation Act, 2023 (Bill C-59).

What you need to know

• In total, the amendments hand the Competition Bureau substantially everything it has been seeking to strengthen enforcement powers and penalties under the Act.
  • More mergers will be subject to notification and require approval, and the Bureau will benefit from a lower bar to challenge transactions, including challenges to closed deals.