April 26, 2026Welcome to Letters from CAMP, a newsletter on anti-monopoly activity in Canada and abroad, brought to you by the Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project. In this instalment we have:
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Concerned Canadian Shines a Light on Grocery RestrictionsMonopolies move quietly. While Canadians are familiar with the inflated bill at the end of the month or at the checkout, much of how monopolies control the markets around us happens without our knowledge. As a result, Canadians count on media, regulators, and civil society to shine a light on what’s really going on in our economy. But sometimes, Canadians take matters into their own hands for the benefit of their fellow citizens. That’s exactly what Jacob Filipp, a Toronto marketing professional, has done. Jacob has put together a public collection of restrictive covenants from commercial leases in Canada. Normally, a website listing commercial leases would not be headline news. But these contracts are different. The contracts Jacob has published demonstrate the property controls that major grocers have used to squash more intense grocery competition. Just one example, a Valu-Mart (Loblaws) lease in Toronto that prevents their landlord from leasing property to another grocery store within a two-kilometre radius. But the idea of two kilometres is a little abstract, so Jacob has gone the extra mile to show that this restriction covers the distance between five subway stops.
Property controls can be even more problematic in rural communities, where a single agreement could shut an entire community out of competition that would otherwise thrive. Movement against property controls is beginning. The Competition Bureau is investigating their use, and Manitoba has already stepped up with legislation to ban them, but much of Canada is likely still under their hold. As we brace for another round of price increases arising from global instability, policymakers should be making big moves to capitalize on the good work of Canadians like Jacob. 📰 CAMP in the News 📰
Independent Canadian Cinemas Come Out Against Paramount-Warner Bros.CAMP has been clear on the potential harms of the proposed Paramount-Warner Bros merger, which was approved by Warner Bros shareholders this week. For Canadians, the deal will mean less content at higher prices, and less domestic content production for screens of all sizes. But the takeover has the potential to harm more than just consumers and movie production crew. This week, the Network of Independent Cinema Exhibitors (NICE) released their statement on the proposed merger, calling on the Competition Bureau to impose conditions on the transaction that will preserve competition for independent cinemas. The biggest issue highlighted by NICE is the control over Warner Bros.’ vast catalogue of classic films, many of which make up the bread and butter of repertory cinemas. In the past, Warner Bros has provided independent Canadian cinemas with convenient access to this catalogue on favourable terms. Under new management, there’s no guarantee this will stay the case. NICE points out that after Disney’s 2019 acquisition of Fox, not only did the volume of new releases decline, but the terms on which cinemas could access the Fox catalogue became demonstrably worse, making life more difficult for cinema operators. Independent cinemas are important institutions, especially in the smaller communities where they can often represent rare cultural and community venues. They’re also an important venue for Canadian film, and a rare bright spot in an industry that has seen flat growth since the pandemic. In 2025, indie cinemas around the world saw over 40% growth compared to 4% in the wider market. While the merging parties are both American, Paramount-Warner Bros. will have a profound impact on movie consumption and production in Canada. NICE’s letter to the Competition Bureau is a reminder that we deserve a say in the outcome of the transaction. 📚 What We’re Reading 📚
Unsealed Evidence Shows Amazon Pushing Up PricesThis week, as part of an ongoing antitrust case, California’s Attorney General has unsealed a trove of documents that allege Amazon employees persistently pushed to keep the price of goods such as underwear, dog treats, and eyedrops high on other e-commerce platforms. The evidence released runs counter to Amazon’s longstanding corporate principle of consumer obsession. Instead of being obsessed with serving customers, Amazon appears more obsessed with ensuring competitors don’t offer more competitive prices. The unsealed emails paint a picture of suppliers being used as go-betweens to coordinate prices between other e-commerce platforms like Walmart.com. If an employee noticed another retailer was offering a better price, Amazon would approach suppliers like Levis, Hanes and others, and ask them to “‘fix,’ ‘correct,’ ‘increase,’ ‘raise,’ or ‘look into’” prices. Unsurprisingly, suppliers complied: deals were cancelled, prices were raised, and in some cases, Amazon followed by raising their own prices, robbing shoppers of important price competition. Competition shouldn’t be dictated over email, and we have competition laws to go after exactly this kind of conduct. Amazon’s size gives it a gravity that allows it to compel suppliers to act in its interest. Being removed from Amazon’s marketplace, the largest e-commerce platform in Canada and the U.S., is not an option for many retailers. Using that power not to offer the most compelling price, but to bring other competitors to its level, puts additional pressure on cash-strapped consumers. The Competition Bureau is currently investigating the same conduct, and Canadians deserve answers as to whether the same collusive practice is occurring up north. If you have any monopoly tips or stories you’d like to share, drop us a line at hello@antimonopoly.ca
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