Will competition law overhaul lead to lower prices, better conditions for workers?

Lower prices, better treatment for workers and an economy not dominated by a handful of mega-corporations. That’s the dream, at least, for some competition law reform advocates. The federal government is looking for input from experts as well as the public at large on its review of the Competition Act, which is set to wrap up on Feb. 27. As it stands, the Competition Act doesn’t mention workers as a factor to consider in mergers and job losses can actually be a positive factor for companies arguing that a takeover should be approved. Still, they said, a change to the “abuse of dominance” rules could lead to lower prices.