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Competition Bureau Gives Small Businesses An Equal Shot at Success

  • Writer: Roger Pierce
    Roger Pierce
  • Mar 18
  • 3 min read

If you’ve ever felt like the big players in your industry have the deck stacked against you, you’re not alone.


Larger companies often dominate markets, making it harder for small businesses to grow, compete, and even survive. But here’s the good news: Canada’s Competition Bureau is on your side.


“If you’re feeling squeezed out of a market, we want to hear about it.”

In a recent episode of The Unsure Entrepreneur Podcast, host Roger Pierce sat down with Majid Charania, Director of Compliance & Outreach at the Competition Bureau of Canada, to discuss how small businesses can fight back against unfair competition. From price fixing and bid rigging to deceptive marketing and monopolistic practices, the Bureau works to ensure that every business—big or small—has a fair shot at success.


“Our work is meant to foster a situation where small and medium-sized businesses have an equitable opportunity to compete,” says Majid. “If you’re feeling squeezed out of a market, we want to hear about it.”


How the Competition Bureau Protects Small Businesses


The Competition Bureau is a federal law enforcement agency dedicated to keeping the Canadian marketplace fair and competitive. Its mission includes:


  • Investigating unfair business practices, including price fixing, bid rigging, and misleading advertising.

  • Holding large corporations accountable when they block smaller competitors from entering the market.

  • Providing free compliance resources so entrepreneurs can avoid legal pitfalls and market their businesses ethically.


Recent cases highlight how competition laws protect small businesses. For example, the Bureau took legal action against Google for allegedly abusing its dominance in online advertising and restricting fair competition. Rogers Communications is also facing scrutiny for allegedly misleading claims about its wireless plans— and this is just one of many deceptive marketing cases the Bureau investigates.


Listen to Majid Charania on The Unsure Entrepreneur Podcast.


What Every Small Business Owner Needs to Know

Here are my favourite takeaways from the interview about marketing practices, handling competitors, and finding help.


Be Honest in Your Marketing

During 30 years of running my 14 small businesses, I've occasionally worried about running afoul of competition laws in my own marketing practices. After all, in our rush to generate sales, it's easy for entrepreneurs to get a bit carried away with customer promises or misleading marketing messages.


Be careful about making outrageous claims about your products or services. If you say something is "guaranteed to work" or performs in a certain way, make sure you can back it up with real evidence.


Know Your Rights

If a larger competitor locks you out of a market, uses misleading advertising, or engages in unfair pricing, you can file a complaint with the Competition Bureau—for free.


Use Free Compliance Resources

The Bureau’s Compliance Hub offers plain-language guides and tools to help you stay compliant, avoid legal trouble, and market your business responsibly.


Small Business Owners: You’re Not Powerless

Competing against big businesses isn’t easy, but you don’t have to do it alone. The Competition Bureau exists to keep the playing field fair, and help is just a phone call away.


“If you’re a small business owner and something doesn’t feel right, reach out to us,” Majid advises. “We take every complaint seriously.”

Want to protect your business and make sure the rules work in your favour? Check out the Competition Bureau’s free resources below and listen to the full podcast episode here.


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