Law Would Change How Companies Defend Themselves Against Competition Charges

This proposed law wanted to change the rules about how big companies can merge. Right now, if two big companies want to join together, it could mean less competition. Less competition can lead to higher prices or worse service for you. But, the companies can argue that joining together will make them more efficient. They might say they can produce things cheaper or better if they're bigger. This is called the "efficiencies defense." This proposed law would have made it harder for companies to use this "efficiencies defense." It would have changed how the government looks at whether a merger is really good for the country. It would have made sure that companies couldn't just say they'll be more efficient, but actually prove it. This matters to everyone because it affects the prices we pay and the quality of services we get. If big companies can easily merge and reduce competition, we might end up paying more for things. This proposed law wanted to make sure that mergers are actually good for Canadians, not just good for the companies involved. However, this proposed law is not going forward.

This bill has not yet been published on the government website.