Industry Regulation and Competition Policy - Council Reports

April 28, 2022 – The C.D. Howe Institute Competition Policy Council supports the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry’s recent statement that “competition in the economy is the driving force behind innovation, efficiency and adaptability.”

However, in “Bring on the Competition: Reforming Canada’s Competition Act,” the Council’s 22nd report, it cautions that rushed amendments to the Competition Act without careful consideration and thoughtful debate could have unintended consequences for these forces in the Canadian economy. “Even perceived shortcomings in the Competition Act may not easily be addressed without unintended consequences,” according to the Council’s latest Communiqué.

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September 9, 2021 – After ten years and over twenty meetings, the C.D. Howe Institute’s Competition Policy Council has summarized the key measures that the next Canadian government should focus on for legislative reform of the Competition Act.

Competition law and policy has recently been elevated to the main stage of the Canadian policy debate. For example, Budget 2021 marked the first major move of the federal government to respond to the added interest in competition law and policy, with an increase in the Competition Bureau’s budget. This attention, including discussion of Competition Act matters at hearings of the House of Commons Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology in April 2021, brings opportunity for…

April 21, 2021 – High spectrum costs and regulatory impediments impact the rollout of 5G and undermines Canada’s technological competitiveness, says a new report from the C.D. Howe Institute.  

At their recent meetings, the Telecommunications Policy Working Group discussed spectrum policy and the consequences of high spectrum costs.

The Working Group agrees Ottawa’s primary goal should be to allocate spectrum most efficiently and ensure competitive access to spectrum. Improved spectrum allocation policy will enable the critically needed 5G infrastructure of the future.

Ottawa’s policy of auctioning off radiofrequency spectrum for telecommunications purposes is designed to minimize interference and ensure its…