IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/oec/ecoaaa/1872-en.html

Non-compete and related clauses in Canada

Author

Listed:
  • Dan Andrews
  • Andrea Garnero
  • Sara Holttinen

Abstract

This paper provides new evidence on the prevalence and potential effects of non-compete and related clauses in Canada using OECD surveys of workers and firms. It finds that these clauses are widespread, increasingly used, and often applied beyond roles where they are most justified. Many appear overly broad and legally weak, yet a substantial share of workers report having been prevented from changing jobs or starting a business. Their impact is reinforced by behavioural factors, including reputational and ethical concerns. The findings also bring into closer focus the use of (firm-to-firm) no-poaching and wage fixing agreements that restrict labour market competition and, thus, raise broader concerns for the Canadian Competition Bureau.

Suggested Citation

  • Dan Andrews & Andrea Garnero & Sara Holttinen, 2026. "Non-compete and related clauses in Canada," OECD Economics Department Working Papers 1872, OECD Publishing.
    • Handle: RePEc:oec:ecoaaa:1872-en
    DOI: 10.1787/e3d104ea-en
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1787/e3d104ea-en
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1787/e3d104ea-en?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • J62 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Job, Occupational and Intergenerational Mobility; Promotion
    • K31 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Labor Law
    • L41 - Industrial Organization - - Antitrust Issues and Policies - - - Monopolization; Horizontal Anticompetitive Practices

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:oec:ecoaaa:1872-en. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: the person in charge (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/edoecfr.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.