According to studies, products cost as much as 25 per cent more in Canada, in part due to taxes. In a new legislation presented on Dec. 9 by Industry Minister James Moore, Canada’s Competition Bureau will be given more power in order to investigate why U.S. consumers pay so much less than Canadians.
The purpose of the Price Transparency Act is to even the price playing field between the two countries, and would allow the Bureau’s commissioner of competition to look into price discrimination based on geographic location. The commissioner would also carry the power to force companies to show how they reached a particular price.
“Our government believes that hardworking Canadians and their families shouldn’t be charged higher prices than Americans simply because of where they live. The intentional manipulation of prices on identical goods for sale in Canada and the U.S. places an unfair burden on Canadians and is simply wrong. The Harper Government is standing up for Canadian consumers with legislation to help address price discrimination,” said Minister Moore in a news release.
