Amazon.ca Faces Federal Investigation During Prime Day Shopping Surge
So, here’s what’s happening right now with Amazon Canada — and it’s kind of a big deal. As Prime Day kicks off with huge deals and sales across the country, Amazon.ca is under some serious scrutiny. The Canadian Competition Bureau has officially announced that it’s investigating the tech giant’s pricing practices, and they’ve even obtained a court order to take a deeper look.
This isn’t just a routine check. The Bureau is investigating whether Amazon’s so-called "Marketplace Fair Pricing Policy" could be violating Canadian competition laws. Essentially, this policy allows Amazon to penalize third-party sellers if they list their products on Amazon.ca at a price that's significantly higher than what those same products are listed for elsewhere — including on other websites or even in physical stores.
Now, that might sound like it’s in the customer’s best interest at first — who doesn’t want lower prices, right? But here’s the twist: critics and regulators are concerned that this policy might actually prevent fair competition. If sellers feel forced to keep their prices lowest on Amazon only, they might be discouraged from offering better deals on other platforms or their own websites. That could ultimately reduce competition and, ironically, lead to higher prices across the board.
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The Bureau is also looking into whether this policy enables Amazon to charge higher fees to sellers, which could force those sellers to raise their prices just to stay afloat — again, not exactly great news for Canadian shoppers.
Amazon, for its part, says the tools and policies in question are all about helping customers make better buying decisions and keeping their trust. They also say they're cooperating fully with the investigation, and right now, there’s no conclusion of wrongdoing.
What’s interesting here is the timing. This news is breaking right in the middle of one of Amazon’s biggest events of the year — Prime Day. In fact, for 2025, Amazon has extended Prime Day to four full days of deals, likely in response to growing competition and trade challenges. There’s even a special section this year featuring Canadian-owned businesses, which is clearly a push to show support for local sellers.
Still, it’s hard to ignore the cloud hanging over all this excitement. While thousands of Canadians are clicking through lightning deals and stocking up on everything from gadgets to garden furniture, Amazon is under the microscope for potentially anti-competitive behaviour.
So, while you’re shopping Prime Day deals, just know that what’s happening behind the scenes could end up shaping how we shop online in Canada in the future. Whether this investigation results in new rules, fines, or just greater transparency, it’s a moment worth paying attention to.
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