Unlike in the past, the bureau is now taking on cases that are contributing to the country's high cost of living

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Last week, Canada’s Competition Bureau sued Google, one of the largest companies on the planet, for abusing its dominant position in online advertising, a market that touches nearly every corner of the economy.

Though the case alone is news, more important is the growing trend of the Competition Bureau shifting its focus to where competition matters most for Canadians amid an ongoing cost of living crisis.

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The Google case is important because the vast majority of advertising is online advertising. Though its rise may be levelling off, in Canada, online advertising made up over 70 per cent of the $20-billion advertising market in 2022, an estimated half of which is represented by Google’s business. Though less front-of-mind than rising costs at the grocery checkout, competition in advertising can affect the price of goods and services throughout the economy.

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