Advertising Standards Canada, an industry body commonly known as
Ad Standards, has, for many decades, run both consumer complaint
and competitor dispute processes with respect to advertising that
may run afoul of its Canadian Code of Advertising Conduct.
Pursuant to the Advertising Dispute Procedure, advertisers who
believe that their competitor is running improper advertising may
challenge such advertising. This is an alternative to making
a complaint to the government, or a lawsuit seeking an
injunction.
The competitor dispute procedure was suspended in mid-2018 and
Ad Standards conducted a extensive consultation with its membership
(which includes advertisers, agencies, media and supplies to the
industry, such as law firms). After this consultation, a new
advertising dispute procedure was launched in February 2019.
They key difference between the prior system and the new procedure
is that the new procedure takes place entirely on a written record
generated by
