Couche-Tard reaches deal with Competition Bureau to address Wilsons deal concerns

OTTAWA — Alimentation Couche-Tard Inc., which has signed a deal to buy the Wilsons chain of gas stations in Atlantic Canada, has reached an agreement with the Competition Bureau to resolve its concerns over the acquisition.

The federal competition regulator had concluded that the deal would substantially lessen or prevent competition in the supply of retail gasoline in some markets.

To address those concerns, Couche-Tard has agreed to sell 46 Wilsons sites and supply agreements and one Couche-Tard gas station.

In July 2021, Couche-Tard announced its deal to acquire the Wilsons network including 79 corporate-owned and operated convenience retail and fuel locations, 147 dealer locations and a marine fuel terminal in Halifax.

The company said at the time that some assets would be purchased by a third-party acquisition partner to be determined following a review by the Competition Bureau.

Wilsons operates and supplies Esso, Wilsons Gas Stops and Go! Store retail gas locations in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador. 

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 30, 2022.

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The Canadian Press