Collaboration and partnerships

The Bureau works with a wide variety of Canadian and international organizations that have an interest in promoting competition and fair marketplaces. This work takes different forms, such as information-sharing, joint cooperation, collaboration on matters of mutual interest, joint enforcement efforts, and education and awareness.

Domestic partnerships

We have memoranda of understanding and other types of agreements with a number of different domestic partners, including trade associations, regulatory bodies, and federal and provincial departments and agencies.

International partnerships

Supporting international cooperation

Business is global. That makes it important for the Bureau to collaborate with other competition agencies.

The Bureau has a growing number of agreements and arrangements with counterparts around the world. This helps the Bureau investigate and address competition and consumer issues that cross borders.

As of today, the Bureau has cooperation instruments in place with 16 other jurisdictions.

We also participate in international organizations and networks. We work with other members to improve cooperation, share best practices, and improve enforcement outcomes.

These organizations include:

International Competition Network

The ICN has more than 135 members from around the globe. It is the only global body devoted exclusively to competition law enforcement.

The ICN advocates for superior standards and procedures in competition policy around the world. It facilitates international cooperation that benefits member agencies, consumers and economies worldwide.

The Bureau is a founding member of the ICN. We sit on the Steering Group, act as the Secretariat, and participate in all Working Groups.

Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development

The Bureau participates in the OECD’s Competition Committee and Committee on Consumer Policy. We make submissions to the Committee’s roundtables.

The OECD Competition Committee hosts discussions on many issues to develop recommendations and best practices. The Committee’s work strengthens cooperation and coordination in competition law enforcement.

The Bureau helps guide the Committee’s work. We helped launch a recent project on Gender-Inclusive Competition Policy.

We also participate in the Committee on Consumer Policy, which focuses on domestic and international consumer law and policy.

International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network

The International Consumer Protection and Enforcement Network (ICPEN) is made up of consumer-protection authorities from over 65 countries. Its aim is to protect consumers worldwide from marketing malpractice. It shares information about cross-border commercial activities that may affect consumers, and encourages global cooperation and the sharing of best practices among consumer protection enforcement agencies.

The Bureau is a past president of the ICPEN.

Unsolicited Communications Enforcement Network

The Unsolicited Communications Enforcement Network (UCENet) promotes international cooperation in voice- and spam-related enforcement.

The organization includes law enforcement agencies and businesses, as well as regulators. Along with the Competition Bureau, Innovation, Science and Economic Development, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, and the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada are also members.

Supporting international trade

The Bureau plays an important role in negotiating and implementing competition policy provisions in trade agreements. We do this in partnership with Global Affairs Canada and Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada.

We advocate for competition so Canadians can participate in world markets. We also want to make sure the benefits of freer trade are not offset by anti-competitive business conduct.

You can find a full list of Canada’s trade agreements and ongoing negotiations on the Global Affairs Canada website.