The Competition Bureau is again supporting a request by Interac Inc., Canada’s largest banks and other Canadian financial institutions to vary their existing consent agreement with the Bureau which could allow Interac more flexibility to invest in and develop innovative products and services. This agreement contains safeguards to address the Bureau’s concerns about anti-competitive conduct … Read more
The Competition Bureau announced that it is closing its investigations relating to air transportation services for passengers and cargo in Northern Canada. The Bureau conducted investigations into three matters: a merger between First Air and Calm Air, a codeshare agreement between First Air and Canadian North, and allegations of predatory pricing against First Air and Canadian … Read more
The Competition Bureau issued guidance to firms applying for funding under the Government of Canada’s Innovation Superclusters Initiative. The guidance, entitled “Innovation Superclusters Initiative and the Competition Act,” clarifies that in the vast majority of cases, collaborative projects under the superclusters initiative will not raise competition concerns. The full release is available online. Call 819-994-5945.
John Pecman, Commissioner of Competition, welcomed Rami Greiss, Executive General Manager, Merger and Authorisation Review at the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to the Competition Bureau on a one-year interchange. Effective July 18, 2017, Greiss will take on the position of Senior Deputy Commissioner, Cartels and Deceptive Marketing Practices Branch, replacing Matthew Boswell. The full release … Read more
The Competition Bureau announced that it has reached separate agreements with Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc. (Couche-Tard) and Parkland Industries Ltd. (Parkland) to address competition concerns arising from Couche-Tard’s purchase of CST Brands Inc. (CST), the owner of the Ultramar brand, and the subsequent sale of the majority of CST’s Canadian assets to Parkland. These agreements preserve … Read more
John Pecman, Canada’s Commissioner of Competition, and Jorge Enrique Sánchez Medina, Deputy Superintendent for Competition Protection at Colombia’s SIC, signed a memorandum of understanding to promote cooperation and strengthen cross-border competition law enforcement in Paris, France. The signing fulfills a commitment made under the Canada-Colombia Free Trade Agreement to establish a cooperation instrument between the countries’ … Read more
The Competition Bureau approves Rx Drug Mart Inc. (RXDM) as the buyer of 27 Rexall Pharmacy Group Ltd. (Rexall) retail pharmacies in Alberta, British Columbia, the Northwest Territories, Ontario and Saskatchewan. Ownership of the 27 pharmacies will be transferred from McKesson to RXDM on a rolling basis between mid-June and August 31, 2017. The full release is available … Read more
The Competition Bureau has reached a consent agreement with The Sherwin-Williams Company related to its acquisition of The Valspar Corporation, which resolves competition concerns in the market for high volume orders of industrial wood coatings in Canada. The full release is available online. Call 819-994-5945.
The Competition Bureau published its 2016-2017 Year at a Glance, which presents key milestones in its targeted efforts to strengthen competition and drive innovation in Canada throughout the last fiscal year. The Year at a Glance supports the Bureau’s Action Plan on Transparency, which promotes the development of a more efficient and responsive agency, while providing Canadians with more opportunities to … Read more
Commissioner of Competition, John Pecman, and Chairman of the JFTC, Kazuyuki Sugimoto, signed the Cooperation Arrangement in Porto, Portugal, where they are attending the International Competition Network Annual Conference. The new Arrangement builds upon the current arrangement between the two agencies and promotes further cooperation, coordination, and communication of information in relation to their enforcement activities. … Read more
