Competition Bureau reaches deal that could help lower gas prices

Skip to Content News Archives Economy Energy Oil & Gas Renewables Electric Vehicles Mining Commodities Agriculture Real Estate Mortgages Mortgage Rates Finance Banking Insurance Fintech Cryptocurrency Work Wealth Smart Money Wealth Management Investor Personal Finance Family Finance Retirement Taxes High Net Worth FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials More Innovation Information Technology FP500 Podcasts Small Business Lives Told Tails Told Shopping Financial Post Store Obituaries Place a Notice Advertising Advertising With Us Advertising Solutions Postmedia Ad Manager Sponsorship Requests Classifieds Place a Classifieds ad Working Profile Settings My Subscriptions My Offers Newsletters Customer Service FAQ News Economy Energy Mining Real Estate Finance Work Wealth Investor FP Comment Executive Women Puzzmo Newsletters Financial Times Business Essentials This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.HomeCommoditiesEnergyOil & GasCompetition Bureau reaches deal that could help lower gas pricesNew agreement with gas sales data provider Kalibrate may create more competition between gas stationsLast updated 12 minutes ago Gas prices are displayed at the corner of Wellington and Exeter Roads in London, Ont. on July 27, 2026. Photo by Geoff Robins/The London Free Press filesThe Competition Bureau says a new agreement with gas sales data provider Kalibrate Canada Inc. may create more competition between gas stations and could help lower prices at the pump.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLYSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman, and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESSubscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.Exclusive articles from Barbara Shecter, Joe O'Connor, Gabriel Friedman and others.Daily content from Financial Times, the world's leading global business publication.Unlimited online access to read articles from Financial Post, National Post and 15 news sites across Canada with one account.National Post ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLESCreate an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountThe consent agreement announced on Thursday means Kalibrate has agreed to change the way it shares retail gasoline sales data between gas stations.The bureau’s review concluded Kalibrate was allowing gas stations to view their competitors’ sensitive data, such as the volume of fuel sold by individual retailers.“This can make it more likely for retailers to compete less aggressively, or to coordinate market behaviour, which can lead to higher prices at the pump,” the bureau said in a press release.Kalibrate, a subsidiary of United Kingdom’s Kalibrate Technologies Ltd., sells data on retail gas and diesel services and offers services such as price consulting.In 2021, it acquired London, Ont.-based Kent Group, a provider of Canadian retail petroleum market data, and gained access to its historical sales database. Its product is still called Kent Data within Canada, the bureau said.The company’s consent order, which has been filed with the Competition Tribunal, is legally binding and akin to a court order.As part of the agreement, Kalibrate agreed to stop sharing “retailer-specific” information that could reveal a competitor’s pricing practices. Now, it will only share aggregated market information and only after a time delay.“The rising price of gas is a major concern for Canadians and even a small increase at the pump can have a significant impact on the daily costs we all pay,” Jeanne Pratt, interim commissioner of competition, said in the release.Kalibrate chief executive Charles Wetzel said his company has not abused its position to inflate prices, and that the bureau’s consent order targets a product that helps station owners plan how much volume to purchase, not how to price gas or diesel.“We truthfully don’t know what they had an issue with,” he said. “They felt that the tool could be used for pricing. That is their concern, the rising price of gas. Now, do I think this tool could do that? I personally don’t.”But Kalibrate did agree to change the way it distributes its volumetric tool, which Wetzel said is a small source of revenue for the company. He also said the bureau had focused on a different Kalibrate product related to gas pricing, but concluded it was in compliance with the law.Kalibrate said its pricing product does not use confidential information and the bureau confirmed it has concluded its investigation on that front.The company has been under scrutiny elsewhere over its impact on pump prices. In July, three drivers in California filed a proposed class-action lawsuit against Kalibrate, accusing it of using artificial intelligence to allow gas stations to collude and inflate prices.This advertisement has not loaded yet.This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.The consent order concludes an investigation that dates back to 2024, when the bureau obtained an order from the Federal Court of Canada that required Kalibrate to hand over relevant records.It also marks the first time the bureau obtained a consent decree since the Competition Act was amended in 2023.Previously, the bureau had to establish that a dominant firm showed anti-competitive intent and effects to obtain a prohibition order. Now, it must establish only one or the other.Notice for the Postmedia NetworkThis website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. 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