Ontario NDP Motion Targets 'Surveillance Pricing' to Lower Grocery Costs

What This Means for You

If you live in Ontario, you might be paying more for groceries or online services than your neighbour does. A new motion at Queen’s Park is fighting back against "surveillance pricing." This is when companies use your personal data—like your location, browsing history, or device type—to guess how much you are willing to pay and charge you a higher price.

The News

Opposition Leader Marit Stiles and the Ontario NDP have introduced a motion to ban surveillance pricing. The motion highlights that the cost of basic groceries has risen by 30% over the last five years.

The NDP argues that corporations are using secret algorithms to engage in price gouging. They want the Ford government to immediately ban these practices to ensure fair pricing for goods and services.

While this is currently a motion and not a new law, it is a major step toward creating consumer protection legislation in the province.

Who Is Affected

• Ontario Residents: Anyone buying groceries, ordering food delivery, or using transportation apps in the province.
• Online Shoppers: People who shop frequently on their phones or computers may see different prices based on their browsing habits.

What You Should Do

Since this practice relies on data, you can take steps to protect yourself until laws change:

1. Clear Your Cookies: Regularly clearing your browser history and cookies makes it harder for companies to track your habits.
2. Go Incognito: Use private or incognito browsing mode when shopping for expensive items or checking prices.
3. Compare Prices: Check the same item on different devices (like your phone vs. a laptop) or different browsers to see if the price changes.
4. Log Out: Do not store your credit card info or stay logged into accounts when comparison shopping.

Bottom Line

Surveillance pricing allows companies to charge you more based on your personal data. The Ontario NDP is pushing to ban this practice to help lower the cost of living. Until a ban is passed, shoppers should be aware that the price they see online may not be the lowest price available.