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Competition Bureau of Canada

Competition Bureau

Competition Bureau approves divestiture of Ridge Landfill to BFI Canada

OTTAWA, January 4, 2005 - The Competition Bureau has approved the sale of the Ridge Landfill, in Chatham, Ontario, to BFI Canada Holdings Inc. (BFI Canada). The sale by Waste Management of Canada Corporation (WMOC, formerly Canadian Waste Services Inc.) resolves competition concerns resulting from the merger of Canadian Waste Services Inc. and Browning-Ferris Industries Ltd. in 2000.

"We are very pleased that the divestiture process is complete," said Lourdes DaCosta, Senior Competition Law Officer. "This sale will benefit customers of waste disposal services by ensuring that prices remain competitive in the Greater Toronto Area and southern Ontario region."

The Competition Tribunal ordered the divestiture of the Ridge Landfill, in October 2001, after the Bureau challenged WMOC's purchase of the landfill. The Bureau maintained that the purchase would have resulted in a substantial lessening and prevention of competition in the industrial, commercial and institutional waste (ICI waste) disposal markets in the Greater Toronto Area and Chatham-Kent. The Tribunal agreed and ordered that the Ridge Landfill be sold to a purchaser that had the expressed intention of carrying on the business and competing effectively for the disposal of ICI waste to customers in the relevant markets.

The Competition Bureau approved the divestiture after receiving binding undertakings from BFI Canada and WMOC. The undertakings place certain limits on:

  • BFI Canada's ability to accept ICI waste from WMOC for disposal at the Ridge; and
  • BFI Canada's ability to apply for an amendment, modification or change in the current terms of the Certificate of Approval of the Ridge Landfill to enlarge the areas from which it can receive residential waste.

The sale of the Ridge Landfill to BFI Canada marks the end of a long period of litigation, during which WMOC unsuccessfully appealed both the initial finding of the Tribunal and a subsequent Tribunal decision denying WMOC's application to rescind the divestiture order.

The Competition Bureau is an independent law enforcement agency that promotes and maintains fair competition so that all Canadians can benefit from competitive prices, product choice and quality service. It oversees the application of the Competition Act, the Consumer Packaging and Labelling Act, the Textile Labelling Act and the Precious Metals Marking Act.

For more information visit: http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/incb-bc.nsf/en/ct02998e.html

For media enquiries, please contact:

Tim Weil
Director of Strategic Communications
Communications Branch
(819) 953-9271

For general enquiries, please contact:

Information Centre
Competition Bureau
(819) 997-4282
1-800-348-5358


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