Welcome to the October issue of Blakes Competitive Edge, a monthly publication of the Blakes Competition, Antitrust & Foreign Investment group. Blakes Competitive Edge provides an overview of recent developments in Canadian competition law, including updates on enforcement activity by the Canadian Competition Bureau (Bureau), recent initiatives and key trends.
Key Highlights
Competition Bureau requests information from market participants to aid in its evaluation of Rogers’ proposed acquisition of Shaw in five key areas identified as having potential impacts on competition should the acquisition proceed.
Merger review activity remained strong through the month of September with 164 merger reviews having been completed year-to-date. This is a seven per cent increase over the number of reviews completed through the same period in 2019 (153), and a 45 per cent increase over the number of reviews through the same period in 2020 (113).
Merger Monitor
September 2021 Highlights
18 merger reviews completed
Primary industries: real estate and rental and leasing (39 per cent); manufacturing (17 per cent); and finance and insurance (11 per cent)
Zero consent agreements (remedies) filed
11 transactions received an Advance Ruling Certificate (61 per cent), while seven transactions received a No Action Letter (39 per cent)
January – September 2021 Highlights
164 merger reviews completed
Primary industries: manufacturing (22 per cent); real estate and rental and leasing (16 per cent); mining, quarrying and oil and gas extraction (16 per cent); and finance and insurance (12 per cent)
One consent agreement (remedies) filed
108 transactions received an Advance Ruling Certificate (66 per cent), while 55 transactions received a No Action Letter (34 per cent)
Merger Enforcement
Competition Bureau seeks information from market participants regarding Rogers’ proposed acquisition of Shaw
On September 28, 2021, the Competition Bureau (Bureau) issued a request for information (RFI) from market participants to assist in evaluating whether Rogers’ proposed acquisition of Shaw is likely to result in a substantial lessening or prevention of competition for mobile wireless, wireline internet and broadcasting services. The Bureau has highlighted several areas of interest in its RFI, including: mobile wireless services to consumers; consumer and small business internet services; fibre transport services; the supply of Broadcasting Distribution Undertakings (BDUs); and the provision Relay Distribution Undertaking services. The Bureau’s RFI is open for response until October 29, 2021.
Investment Canada Act
Highlights
Information regarding Investment Canada Act decisions for June 2021 and January – June 2021 have not yet been published and will instead be included in next month’s Competitive Edge newsletter.
Blakes Notes
On October 1, 2021, members of the Blakes Competition, Antitrust & Foreign Investment group hosted a webinar titled Politics, National Security and Foreign Investment: A Post-Election Assessment. If you missed it, you can watch a recording of the session here.
Blakes Partner Julie Soloway was recently named one of the Top Women in Antitrust by Global Competition Review. This is the third time Julie has been recognized by GCR, which profiles the leading female competition practitioners from around the world. Read more here.
Blakes Partner Navin Joneja was recently named one of Canada’s Top 25 Most Influential Lawyers by Canadian Lawyer Magazine. Navin was selected for his work leading some of the highest-profile competition matters in Canada during the past 18 months Read more here.
To read more thought leadership insights from the Competition, Antitrust & Foreign Investment group, please click here.
For the latest legal and business updates regarding COVID-19, visit our Resource Centre.
Contact Us
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact your usual Blakes contact or any member of the Blakes Competition, Antitrust & Foreign Investment group.