Competition Bureau

The Mergers and Monopolistic Practices Branch reviews proposed merger transactions and investigates practices that could negatively impact competition. The Mergers Directorate reviews proposed mergers to assess whether the transactions are likely to substantially prevent or lessen competition in the marketplace. The Monopolistic Practices Directorate detects, investigates and deters business practices that have a negative impact on competition, such as abuse of dominance, as well as certain types of anti‑competitive agreements or arrangements between competitors.

The Cartels and Deceptive Marketing Practices Branch fights criminal or deceptive business practices that hurt consumers and competition in the marketplace. The Cartels Directorate detects, investigates and deters genuine cartels, including conspiracies, agreements or arrangements among competitors and potential competitors to fix prices, rig bids, allocate markets or restrict supply. The Directorate also reaches out to stakeholders engaged in procurement to enable them to detect and deter bid-rigging and other cartel activities. The Deceptive Marketing Practices Directorate detects, investigates and deters false or misleading representations and deceptive marketing practices identified under the Competition Act. The Directorate also enforces related legislation, i.e. the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act (except as it relates to food), the Precious Metals Marking Act and the Textile Labelling Act.

The Competition Promotion Branch encourages the adoption of pro-competition positions, policies, and behaviors by businesses, consumers, regulators, government and international partners. The Branch also provides economic analysis in support of enforcement, and leads the Bureau's planning and reporting processes. Also within this branch is the International Affairs Directorate, which establishes working relationships with foreigns competition law agencies and tribunals.

The Corporate Services Branch provides advice, planning and services for the effective operation of the Bureau's financial, asset, information management and human resource activities, as well as access to information, privacy, values and ethics, security and procurement matters. The Branch also provides expertise in complaint management and evidence collection and preservation in support of the Bureau's mandate.

The Competition Bureau Legal Services of the Department of Justice is responsible for providing legal services to the Commissioner and for representing the Commissioner on all matters other than those for which the Public Prosecution Service of Canada is responsible.

The Competition Law Section of the Public Prosecution Service of Canada is responsible for initiating and conducting criminal prosecutions on behalf of the Attorney General of Canada and for advising the Bureau on criminal investigations.