Canada's Competition Bureau is seeking records and information from four of Canada's telecom service providers as part of its review of a proposed takeover of Shaw Communications Inc. by Rogers Communications Inc.

The bureau says it obtained court orders for the information from BCE Inc., Telus Corp., Xplornet Communications Inc. and Quebecor Inc., the parent company of Videotron.

The companies involved are among the largest telecom service providers in the country, aside from Freedom Mobile which is owned by Shaw.

The bureau says the records and written information will help in the investigation around whether the Rogers-Shaw deal would lessen or prevent competition.

In May, Shaw shareholders overwhelmingly approved the takeover deal worth $26 billion including debt.

The bureau says it is difficult to say how much longer the investigation will take.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2021.

Companies in this story: (TSX:BCE, TSX:SJR.B, TSX:RCI.B, TSX:T, TSX:QBR.B)

The Canadian Press