Gatineau, January 22, 2026 — The Competition Bureau Canada said algorithmic pricing is expanding across industries and can generate efficiencies, while also raising concerns about transparency and potential harm to market outcomes, as it released a “What We Heard” report summarizing feedback from a public consultation.
The Bureau said businesses increasingly use algorithms to guide pricing strategies in sectors including hospitality, concert ticketing, and ridesharing. It launched the consultation to strengthen its understanding of how algorithmic pricing works in practice and how it may affect enforcement and policy responses.
The Bureau received more than 100 submissions from domestic and international stakeholders, including individuals, businesses, industry associations, academics, legal experts, and consumer groups.
Digital Issues
According to the report, respondents broadly agreed that algorithmic pricing can improve market efficiency, including by enabling dynamic pricing and price recommendations that respond quickly to changes in demand and supply.
At the same time, the Bureau said feedback raised concerns that algorithmic tools could facilitate anticompetitive behaviour, depending on how they are designed and deployed. The report also flagged the potential for a lack of transparency around pricing data and algorithmic decision-making to harm consumers, workers, and competition.
Competition Concerns
The Bureau said respondents highlighted the need for government regulation to address anticompetitive conduct linked to algorithmic pricing without undermining innovation.
Jeanne Pratt, acting commissioner of competition, said algorithmic pricing can improve efficiency and choice but “also presents risks related to fairness, transparency, and competition,” adding that the Bureau will continue engaging with partners, market participants and Canadians as it builds its understanding of the issue.
Implementation and Oversight
The Bureau said the consultation ran from June 10 to August 4, 2025, based on its discussion paper on algorithmic pricing and competition. Submissions will remain publicly available unless confidentiality was requested.
The report follows a separate Bureau consultation on artificial intelligence and competition, which resulted in a feedback summary published in January 2025.
