Exclusive-Canada’s antitrust regulator says reviewing Smith Financial’ s bid for Home Capital

TORONTO (Reuters) – Canada’s antitrust regulator said on Tuesday it is reviewing the potential acquisition of Canadian lender Home Capital Group Inc by privately-held peer Smith Financial Corp.

“I can confirm that the Competition Bureau is reviewing the potential acquisition of Home Capital Group by Smith Financial Corporation,” a spokesperson for the regulator said in an email to Reuters.

Home Capital, the mortgage lender rescued by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:) Inc five years ago, announced in November that it would be taken private by Smith Financial Corp in a C$1.7 billion ($1.27 billion) deal.