Canada

Canadian Securities Regulators Amend Benchmark Assurance Report Rules

Canadian securities regulators have adopted final amendments to rules governing designated benchmarks and benchmark administrators, effective May 5, 2026. These changes clarify assurance report requirements for independent public accountants, specifying the level of assurance, report type, and submission timing, and introduce a new requirement for certain designated benchmarks.

Competition Bureau Guidance on Promotional Contest Transparency

The Competition Bureau of Canada has issued guidance reminding businesses and influencers that promotional contests must provide honest and transparent information to consumers. Key details such as prize value, regional allocation, purchase requirements, and winner selection methods must be clearly disclosed.

Canada Merger Review Process and Guidelines

The Competition Bureau of Canada has updated its guidance and information related to the merger review process. The page provides details on the Bureau's authority to review mergers, links to key documents such as the Merger Enforcement Guidelines, and information on concluded merger reviews.

Canada Competition Bureau Guidance on Agreements Between Competitors

The Canada Competition Bureau has published guidance on bid-rigging, price-fixing, and other agreements between competitors. The guidance aims to help businesses understand common types of illegal agreements and how to report suspected wrongdoing.

Competition Bureau Report on Algorithmic Pricing Feedback

The Competition Bureau of Canada has published a report summarizing public feedback on algorithmic pricing and competition. The report highlights key themes from over 100 submissions regarding market efficiencies, anticompetitive behavior, data transparency, and the need for balanced regulation.

Competition Bureau Statement on Cineplex Drip Pricing Ruling

The Competition Bureau Canada issued a statement following the Federal Court of Appeal's decision to uphold a ruling against Cineplex for deceptive marketing practices related to drip pricing. The court dismissed Cineplex's appeal, reinforcing the Bureau's stance against hidden fees and affirming transparency for consumers.

Competition Bureau Merger Reviews Update

The Competition Bureau has updated its report of concluded merger reviews, changing the update frequency to weekly and including ongoing reviews. The report now details transactions commenced and completed in the previous week, covering pre-merger notifications, advance ruling certificate requests, and non-notifiable transaction reviews.

Canadian Chicken Marketing Levies Order Amendment

The Canadian government has amended the Canadian Chicken Marketing Levies Order under the Farm Products Agencies Act. This amendment, registered as SOR/2025-289, modifies existing levies applicable to chicken marketing.

Canada Gazette Part II Regulations Index

The Canada Gazette Part II published regulations on January 28, 2026, including amendments to the Domestic Substances List under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999. These updates, registered as SOR/2026-1 and SOR/2026-2, modify existing substance listings.

Canada Gazette Part 2: Statutory Instruments Index

The Canada Gazette Part 2, Volume 160, Number 3, published on February 11, 2026, indexes 14 statutory instruments. These include amendments to regulations under the Canada Labour Code, Farm Products Agencies Act, Customs Tariff, and Immigration and Refugee Protection Act, among others.