Understanding Canada’s competition laws is essential for running a fair, trusted, and legally compliant business. Whether you’re just starting out or growing fast, these official resources from the Competition Bureau of Canada can help you avoid anti-competitive practices, ensure your marketing is truthful, and stay on the right side of the law. From compliance bootcamps to clear guidelines on wage-fixing, deceptive marketing, and business collaborations, this page brings together practical tools to help your small business compete fairly—and confidently.
Understanding Anti-Competitive Agreements
Even small businesses can get into trouble by making certain types of agreements with competitors or other employers. These anti-competitive agreements can hurt fair market competition—and they’re often illegal.
Here are some examples of risky practices to avoid:
- Price-fixing – agreeing with others to set or control prices
- Bid-rigging – coordinating who will win a contract or tender
- Wage-fixing & no-poaching – agreeing not to compete for employees or set wages together
- Market division – splitting up customers, territories, or products with competitors
Learn how to stay compliant with these helpful resources:
- Compliance Bootcamps Related to Business Cartels and Bid-Rigging
- Competitor Collaboration Guidelines
- Guidelines Related to Wage-Fixing & No Poaching Agreements
- Information Related to Agreements between Companies to Protect the Environment
- Immunity and Leniency Programs under the Competition Act
Avoiding Deceptive Marketing Practices
Misleading ads and false claims—even unintentional ones—can land your business in legal trouble. Under Canadian law, it’s illegal to promote products or services in a way that is false or misleading in a significant way.
Common examples of deceptive marketing include:
- Exaggerating product benefits
- Hiding important conditions or fees
- Using fake reviews or endorsements
- Offering “limited-time deals” that aren’t actually limited
Use these resources to make sure your marketing stays honest and compliant:
- Compliance Bootcamp and Deceptive Marketing Practices Digests
- List of Misleading Representations and Deceptive Marketing Practices
Understanding Abuse of Dominance
When a large or dominant business uses its market power to block out competitors or limit customer choice, it may be considered an abuse of dominance—and that can violate competition laws in Canada.
This also includes other restrictive trade practices, such as using intellectual property or exclusive deals in ways that hurt competition.
Examples of potentially harmful practices include:
- Forcing suppliers or customers to only deal with you
- Using your size to undercut smaller competitors unfairly
- Blocking competitors from entering or growing in the market
Helpful resources to guide your business:
- Compliance Bootcamp
- Abuse of Dominance Enforcement Guidelines
- Restrictive trade practices webpage
- Intellectual Property Enforcement Guidelines
- Property Controls Guidance (Draft)
- Mergers and Restrictive Trade Practices Guide
More Resources from the Competition Bureau
Looking to dive deeper? The Competition Bureau offers a variety of resources to help businesses, policymakers, and the public better understand and promote fair competition in Canada.
Explore these tools and insights:
Advocacy Resources:
- Regulatory Advice / Interventions
- Market Studies
- Competition Assessment Toolkit (to share with regulators/government)
Compliance Resources
Want to learn more or get in touch?
Visit the Competition Bureau of Canada website