This presentation by the Competition Bureau of Canada was made during the discussion on "The role of market studies as a tool to promote competition" held at the 15th Global Forum on Competition on 1 December 2016. More papers and presentations on the topic can be found out at www.oecd.org/competition/globalforum/the-role-of-market-studies-as-a-tool-to-promote-competition.htm

1. Market Studies
A TOOL TO PROMOTE COMPETITION
Presentation by the Competition Bureau of Canada
OECD Global Forum on Competition
December 1, 2016
Building a prosperous and innovative Canada

2. Canadian context
• Competition Act does not contain:
• an explicit power to conduct market studies
• formal information-gathering powers for market
studies
• 2008 Competition Policy Review Panel
identified this as a gap
• Bureau conducts market studies under
general competition promotion authority
• Rely on voluntary information requests,
public information, purchased data
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3. Renewed focus on advocacy
• Priority to increase advocacy work
• Examples of recent initiatives:
• Regulatory interventions
• Taxi white paper
• The Competition Advocate
• Report on advertising restrictions in health care
• Plan to conduct more market studies
• Advocacy function evaluation
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4. Lessons learned
• Drawing on best practices / expertise
• Selection criteria
• Internal checks and balances
• Transparency
• Stakeholder engagement
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