Construction company CPL Interiors Ltd. has been fined $761,967 by the Competition Bureau of Canada for its role in a criminal bid-rigging conspiracy that targeted condominium corporations in the Greater Toronto Area.

The company, which entered a guilty plea in Ontario Superior Court, admitted to conspiring with several competing businesses to allocate customers and fix bid prices on 31 refurbishment contracts issued by private condominium corporations between 2009 and 2014. The value of the contracts totalled more than $19 million.

Following an investigation by the Competition Bureau, criminal charges were laid in March 2021 against CPL Interiors as well as three other companies and their owners. The bureau alleges that the accused conspired to commit fraud and rig bids for refurbishment contracts issued by private condominium corporations in the GTA between 2009 and 2014.

Court proceedings are ongoing against the remaining accused.

“Cracking down on criminal conspiracies that harm Canadians and the Canadian economy is a top priority for the Competition Bureau,” said competition commissioner Matthew Boswell. “We will continue to pursue all those who plot to increase their profits through criminal bid-rigging schemes.”

CPL Interiors received leniency in sentencing for its full cooperation throughout the bureau’s investigation and its agreement to testify in any resulting prosecutions.