Progressive Waste Denies Canadian Charges on Breaching Contract

Progressive Waste Solutions Ltd. is denying that it did anything improper following charges by the Canadian Competition Bureau that it violated a consent agreement of its earlier merger.

The Ottawa-based Competition Bureau said that Progressive violated the agreement reached with the bureau in 2010 on its merger of IESI-BFC Ltd. and Waste Services Inc, according to a news release from the bureau. The bureau charged that the Vaughan, Ontario-based Progressive violated the agreement by reacquiring a customer whose contract had been divested under the agreement, as well as false declaration of compliance and failure to notify that the contract had been breached.

“We strongly believe that the bureau’s allegations are entirely without merit,” said Chaya Cooperberg, vice president, investor relations and corporate communications for Progressive, in an e-mail. “We have at all times acted in good faith and used its best efforts to fully comply with its obligations under the consent agreement.

“We will vigorously defend this matter in the courts.”