Spotlight On Greenwashing Under The Competition Act

Introduced at a time of proposed changes to securities laws and increased investor-driven demands to identify, disclose and monitor climate and sustainability risks, which we write about separately in our Osler Legal Outlook article, recent amendments to the Competition Act (Act) include the addition of two provisions aimed specifically at misleading statements and claims about the environmental attributes of a business, its products or its operations, known colloquially as "greenwashing". Starting in June 2025, private parties can seek significant monetary penalties and prohibition orders for greenwashing conduct, although direct financial compensation to those private parties is not available.