A cashier rings in purchases at a grocery store in North Vancouver on Sunday, March 22, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

By The Canadian Press

Most Canadians want to ban or regulate algorithmic pricing, poll shows

Mar 18, 2026 | 1:03 PM

OTTAWA — Most Canadians want the government to ban or regulate the use of algorithms to set prices, a new poll suggests.

Abacus Data polled 1,931 Canadians about algorithmic pricing, which it defined as prices adjusted in real time based on such factors as who is buying it, the time of day and browsing behaviour.

Half of those polled said they agreed the practice is unfair because it can result in people paying different prices for the same product, while the same share said the practice should be banned and 31 per cent said it should be allowed but more strictly regulated.

Algorithmic pricing is already established in sectors like travel but it has been expanding into other markets, such as retail and rental housing.

On Tuesday, the Manitoba government said it would prohibit retailers from using personal data to increase prices for specific consumers.

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The Abacus survey was conducted online and cannot be assigned a margin of error because online surveys do not randomly sample the population.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 18, 2026.

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press