Survey: Canadians do not share their governments' distrust of competition

MONTREAL, May 9, 2023 /CNW/ - As decisions in the merger processes of major corporations such as Rogers and Air Canada suggest that the federal government is willing to compromise the balance of competition to protect the interests of large Canadian corporations, the Centre for Productivity and Prosperity ? Walter J. Somers Foundation (CPP) sought to understand whether these decisions are supported by the public. Based on the results of a cross-Canada survey, the answer is clear: Canadians do not share their government's distrust of competition.

In particular, the CPP survey found that more Canadians than their European counterparts recognize the benefits of a competitive business environment, not only in terms of price and quality, but also in terms of innovation and economic growth. More importantly, the survey found that more Canadians are experiencing competition-related issues in their daily lives. This is evidenced by the fact that 80% of Canadians surveyed said they had experienced difficulties related to a lack of competition in at least one of the markets they frequent, compared to 65% in the European Union.

"Such results send a clear signal to policy makers, says Robert Gagné, Director of the CPP. Canada's competition culture may not be as well developed as in Europe, but Canadians are fully aware of the issues underlying the low level of competition in the country."

SOURCE HEC Montréal - Centre sur la productivité et la prospérité