Legal professionals play a vital role in promoting compliance with competition law in Canada. To support this work, the Competition Bureau offers a suite of resources designed to help lawyers advise clients on the Bureau’s enforcement approach and on how to build a credible and effective compliance program.
The Compliance Hub is a one-stop shop for tools and guidance to help businesses comply with the Competition Act, including short videos, quizzes, bulletins, and compliance tips. These are plain language resources meant to be accessible for everyone. Whether you're advising a startup or a multinational, these materials can help businesses build a strong compliance culture. The Bureau also delivers free, proactive webinars from time to time. They’re aimed at small and medium-sized businesses and generalist practitioners and cover the basics of competition law and some timely topics. In the past, webinars have touched on the Bureau’s guidance on Made in Canada claims and bid-rigging in procurement.
The Bureau has expanded its resources related to procurement in its Procurement Hub, which houses all of the relevant resources for suppliers and procurement professionals in one place. These resources are also in plain language so that everyone can benefit from them.
Finally, the Bureau’s Publications page provides links to enforcement guidance and other resources. Enforcement guidance materials are not binding legal documents. Instead, they provide information about the Bureau’s general approach to the enforcement of certain provisions. It is important to note that, following recent changes to the Competition Act, the Bureau is reviewing its guidelines and will update them to ensure clarity and transparency for Canadians.
These resources empower legal professionals to better serve their clients and contribute to a fair, competitive marketplace. Bookmark them, share them, and use them.
Credit: Amy Hill, Senior Competition Law Officer, Competition Bureau