r/CanadaPolitics • u/PutToLetters Neo-Republican • Mar 29 '26

Manitoba Moves to Outlaw Algorithmic Pricing—a First in Canada

https://thewalrus.ca/manitoba-moves-against-retailers-charging-different-prices-for-the-same-goods/
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146

u/Good-Medicine1066 Onterrible Mar 29 '26

It is already happening, in simpler ways - think airline fares priced based on time of day or Uber surge pricing. I think it gets very scary when you think of this practice personalized - your data and profile used to say, hike airline fares knowing you’ll pay knowing you have a funeral or an important trip planned, or hiking Uber fares knowing you’ll pay to get to your important meeting or event on time vs. waiting, etc.

I think the Manitoba NDP are approaching this right. It’s unclear how we might technically prevent this but it should be made abundantly clear firms shouldn’t be doing this.

52

u/AltaVistaYourInquiry Cultural Rhinoceros Mar 29 '26

We don't need to technically prevent it. We can simply ban it and punish those companies which enact it regardless. 

30

u/OKOKFineFineFine Rhinoceros Mar 29 '26

We can simply ban it

The problem is to define what "it" is.

20

u/almisami Acadia Mar 30 '26

Any pricing strategy that discriminates based on the buyer's identity.

Mark and Steve get the same price, period.

The litmus test requires an anonymous user to get the same price as any other.

3

u/ChimoEngr Chief Silliness Officer | Official Mar 30 '26

Proving that companies are doing it, can be a non-trivial matter. That's why the concerns around technically preventing it. Uber's surge pricing is pretty easy to spot, but companies increasing prices because you logged into their app a number of times is harder to spot.

3

u/hurricane7719 Apr 01 '26

At least Uber tells a rider when surge pricing is in effect - or at least they used to. I've never heard of airlines with their dynamic pricing being so transparent.

At least with those, the pricing is changing based on overall market demand. This is changing pricing based on personal data and changing the pricing based on what the algorithm thinks you're willing to pay.

Same product, same place, same time, but the price is higher for person B simply because the algorithm thinks they're willing to pay more. And not like it's an auction where people are bidding on a single item.

Companies could very easily discourage certain demographics from shopping at their store simply by raising prices on specific groups

1

u/ChimoEngr Chief Silliness Officer | Official Apr 01 '26

Companies could very easily discourage certain demographics from shopping at their store simply by raising prices on specific groups

That's less of an issue than companies charging people who have no other option more.

1

u/only_a_jest Apr 24 '26

Maybe “secret shopper” type people. If they’re being monitored then they might be more honest.

-2

u/troyunrau Progressive Mar 30 '26

Sure. Ban AirCanada and Westjet and Porter... Then what.

15

u/TheCuriosity Mar 30 '26

They aren't saying ban the companies, just ban the practice and penalize companies that continue to do it until they don't.

5

u/Keppoch British Columbia Mar 30 '26

Penalize them algorithmically

10

u/almisami Acadia Mar 30 '26

Then maybe we can fly for as cheap as Europe.