Competition Bureau seeking public input on algorithmic pricing
The government's Competition Bureau website is pictured in Ottawa on Monday, Oct. 2, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sean Kilpatrick
OTTAWA — The Competition Bureau says it's looking for public input as it delves deeper into the rising trend of companies using algorithms to set prices.
In a paper released Tuesday, the bureau says more than 60 companies in Canada already use automated systems to help set prices, often in real time, for everything from concert tickets to ridesharing to hotel rooms.
The paper says that algorithmic pricing could improve competition by helping businesses innovate and be more efficient, but also risks making it easier for companies to co-ordinate their prices and could make it harder for new companies to enter the market.
It says algorithmic pricing could become an issue under the Competition Act if multiple companies rely on the same model to set pricing, creating a form of collusion on pricing even without explicit collaboration.
The bureau says the systems could also be used for predatory pricing if a company uses them to specifically target specific customers of rivals, rather than lowering prices overall.
The Competition Bureau confirmed in February that it was also investigating the possible use of AI-driven algorithmic pricing in Canadian real estate rental markets.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 10, 2025.
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