The Competitor : Canada Competition / Antitrust Blog by Stikeman Elliott Lawyers & Attorneys

Michael Kilby -

On February 24, 2011, the Commissioner of Competition announced that the Competition Bureau will undertake “moderate revisions” to the Canadian Merger Enforcement Guidelines (MEGs). This announcement follows a series of roundtable consultations with competition law practitioners across Canada, consultations with foreign agencies and an internal Bureau review. A wide variety of opinions were expressed during these roundtable consultations, including opinions as to whether revisions were necessary, particularly given that the MEGs were last revised in 2004 following a thorough review and consultation process. In this regard, an important factor driving the revisions is generally believed to be the 2010 revisions to the U.S. Horizontal Merger Guidelines (although these had last been revised in 1992).

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Sharon Seung -

Bill C-51, An Act to amend the Criminal Code, the Competition Act and the Mutual Legal Assistance in Criminal Matters Act (short title: Investigative Powers for the 21st Century Act) was re-introduced in the House of Commons on November 1st, 2010. As the short title of Bill C-51 implies, the bill aims to extend the current investigative powers of national law enforcement and security agencies for computer-related crimes to take into account the use of new communications technologies. While many of the proposed changes relate to the Criminal Code, they have an impact on the Competition Act and the investigative powers of the Commissioner of Competition.

Two other bills, Bill C-50, An Act to amend the Criminal Code (interception of private communications and related warrants and orders) and Bill C-52, An Act regulating telecommunications facilities to support investigations, were also introduced in October and November of last year. These three complimentary bills had previously been introduced under the former Liberal government in 2005, and under the Conservative government in 2009, but were killed by elections or prorogation.

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Susan Hutton

The Investment Canada Act threshold for the review of direct acquisitions of control of Canadian businesses (other than those involved in cultural activities) by investors controlled in countries that are members of the WTO (or where control is acquired from sellers controlled in WTO-member countries) has now been officially raised to C$312 million for transactions closing in 2011. The threshold is indexed annually to account for inflation. Legislative amendments passed in 2009 would see this threshold increased to $600 million (rising incrementally over 3 years to $1 billion, and indexed for inflation thereafter), based upon the "enterprise value" of the Canadian business.  These amendments have not been declared in force, however, as regulations defining the meaning of "enterprise value" have not been finalized.

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The Competition Bureau announced today that the threshold for the size of the assets or revenues of the "target" of acquisitions involving businesses in Canada will increase to $73 million.  The change will take place following publication in the Canada Gazette, which is expected to take place on February 12, 2011.  Generally speaking, transactions involving parties whose combined assets in Canada or revenues in, from or into Canada (including those of affiliates) exceeds C$400 million must be notified in advance of closing to the Competition Bureau, if the business in Canada has assets in Canada or revenues generated therefrom exceeding the "size of target" threshold.  This threshold may be modified annually under the indexing provisions of the Competition Act.

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