Joly says Ottawa will be ‘hawkish’ on competition to restore affordability

By Canadian Press on October 1, 2025.

OTTAWA — Industry Minister Mélanie Joly says Ottawa is going to be “hawkish” on competition in a bid to ease the cost of living.

She says affordability is top of mind for Canadians and expanding market competition to give consumers more choices offers a path to lower prices.

Joly kicked off the Competition Bureau’s annual summit in Ottawa today by saying the federal government supports more market competition in Canada.

The minister cited her August decision to uphold a regulatory decision that allows large telecom firms to offer services on the backs of their rivals’ networks as an example of a measure that boosts competitive forces in the sector.

The Competition Bureau acts as a watchdog for competitive dynamics in Canada and has examined concentration in the grocery and airline sectors in recent years.

The previous Liberal government gave the Competition Bureau new powers to levy heftier penalties, more closely scrutinize proposed mergers and compel financial documents from the subjects of its market investigations.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 1, 2025.

Craig Lord, The Canadian Press

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