CARLA BECK’S TEAM MOVES TO CRACKDOWN ON GROCERY PRICE GOUGING

Bill 619 Targets Artificial Intelligence-Driven Price Discrimination as Families Fall Behind
REGINA — Carla Beck’s team has introduced new legislation to stop corporations from using artificial intelligence and personal data to charge higher prices to customers for goods and services.

Bill 619, The Consumer Protection and Business Practices (Banning Unfair A.I. Pricing) Amendment Act, was introduced by Shadow Minister for Technology, Innovation & Artificial Intelligence Brittney Senger.

After years of skyrocketing costs for groceries, rent, and basic necessities, Saskatchewan families are already stretched to the breaking point. Now, there is growing concern that companies are using AI and personal data to quietly push prices even higher — especially on essentials like food. This practice of price gouging has been flagged by the Competition Bureau of Canada and was the subject of a recent investigation by Consumer Reports.

“Families are being squeezed at the checkout like never before,” Beck said. “We can’t stand by as big corporations gouge people even more. It’s wrong, and we’re putting a stop to it.”

Food prices rose 5.5 per cent in Saskatchewan over the past year. Prices for certain items — ground beef, canola oil, strawberries and more — have shot up nearly 50 per cent in price since Scott Moe became Premier eight years ago.
People in Saskatchewan report greater financial anxiety than anywhere else in Canada.

Bill 619 would make it an unfair business practice for retailers — both in-store and online — to use personal data, profiling, or algorithmic systems to charge higher prices to individual consumers. It would also strengthen protections to ensure Saskatchewan law clearly applies to online marketplaces and digital retailers.

“Life in Saskatchewan has become incredibly unaffordable under Scott Moe,” Senger said. “The Sask. Party has stood by while costs skyrocketed. We’re taking action to protect people from being targeted and exploited by big data.”

“No one should pay more for groceries because an algorithm decides they can,” Senger added.

“It’s time for change.”

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