The Competition Bureau of Canada has concluded its civil investigation into the use of algorithmic pricing software in the rental housing market. The Bureau determined that revenue management tools have not been widely used enough by landlords to significantly harm competition.

Following the introduction of revenue management tools from RealPage Canada, Inc. and Yardi Canada, Ltd., their usage increased but saw a decline after public scrutiny in late 2024. The Bureau's analysis indicated that the adoption levels did not meet the anticompetitive thresholds necessary to establish a violation of the Competition Act.

While the Bureau found no evidence of abuse of dominance or anticompetitive collaboration by RealPage or Yardi, it expressed ongoing concerns about the potential impact of algorithmic pricing tools on competition in the multi-family rental housing market.

To assist compliance with the Competition Act, the Bureau is issuing guidance for landlords, property managers, and software providers. The Bureau will continue to monitor the rental housing market closely and will take action if evidence of anticompetitive conduct arises.