The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has released a new strategic plan today, focusing efforts to “connect Canadians through technology and culture” (whatever that means).
Over the past year, the CRTC says there has been progress in several areas. It claims to have increased competition and investment in internet and cellphone services, suggesting that new, more affordable options are emerging. We have seen Quebecor’s Freedom Mobile get pretty aggressive with its North American plans.
Efforts to improve high-speed internet access in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities are also cited, with some areas receiving service for the first time. That is usually possible when you dole out money from the $3.2 billion Broadband Fund (Starlink is a more viable option instead of digging lines for fibre optic cables to faraway places).
Additionally, the CRTC has moved forward on implementing changes to the Broadcasting Act, launching consultations and issuing decisions, including a requirement for online streaming platforms to contribute around $200 million annually (5% of revenues) to Canadian content. Spotify has increased its prices citing this change, while Apple and more have protested this move.
The CRTC says it will continue promoting competition in telecom services to ensure affordability and reliability, of course. It recently asked Rogers, Telus and Bell to lower roaming rates. It also wants to finalize the bargaining structure for the Online News Act. So far, Facebook is adhering to the Act and therefore not allowing news links to be shared. Google already made a deal with the feds.
The new strategic plan makes the CRTC sound like it’s making miracles happen for Canadians, lowering prices and increasing competition. Have you seen benefits from the CRTC’s recent plans?
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I'll believe it when the CRTC proves water is wet.
OTOH, I have seen my cell phone bill drop over the years. Back in 2019, 5 GB at 3G speeds for $40 on prepaid was considered a "reasonable" deal, now that same $40 gets you at least 15x the data and faster 4G data speeds.
I pay $30 for 60 GB on Koodo. Which seems like a lot of data for such a low price!
Your statement is a clear example of cognitive distortion, akin to the flat earth movement which has gained a lot of traction as we have seen from similar minded readers here upvoting your comment..
You claim your bill has dropped, yet you say that $40 now gets 15x the data it did in 2019. That’s not a price reduction; it’s just more data—data that most consumers don’t even need because they've been conditioned to use less and still rely heavily on their home internet.
Furthermore, your current deal of $30 for 60 GB is an outlier—essentially a unicorn that most people haven’t even come close to securing.
By promoting this rare deal, you're fueling the myth that prices have fallen, when in fact, the majority of people are still paying similar or higher rates for data they won't use.
@leif_shantz:disqus perfectly embodies the type of gullible consumer the CRTC and telecoms love—promoting the false narrative that phone plans have become cheaper when they’ve simply inflated the data bucket for no real benefit.
They are missing the point. Make it illegal to offer expiring discounts. Make it illegal to raise prices beyond inflation or 5$ annually, whichever is lower. Make it illegal to market "bring-it-back" programs as discounts unless there is an actual discount on the retail price of the phone when factoring in the bring-it-back amount. Make it illegal to charge hidden fees like "activation" or "network improvement" fees. List could go on.
make it illegal to charge me an absurd $25 extra to ship an already above MSRP phone to my door, increase watch data plans by 100% overnight while not offering any new features or insentive, raising activation fees – they're now an absurd $70 with Telus, and make it illegal to automatically opt someone in to any of these nonsense roaming fees that automatically charge you instead of giving the user a yes no prompt to be enrolled. Instead it's just easier to charge companies money that they'll obviously bring to the consumer with even more price hikes.
I truly wonder if anyone in Ottawa bothers to take two seconds to take the pulse of this country.
I truly wonder how many commenters here, and in the broader Canadian population, are not privileged and ultra-wealthy..
Your whining is ridiculous and immature as @leif_shantz:disqus believes rates have gone down.
You are expecting legislation to fix everything, from shipping fees to roaming charges, while ignoring basic economics.
Greedy corporations pass on costs, and you think Ottawa will micromanage every fee to protect you from your own decisions? They won't even acknowledge greedflation exists. Grow up.
They are not hidden fees, they are disclosed. And instead of whining about here, how about send an email to you Conservative or Liberal MP and see what they will do about it — nothing.
They don't care about the northwest territories. Northwestel (formally Bell) is making a fortune as they are the only one providing home/business internet service here. You can go with starlink (an American company). However, starlink is also expensive which is understandable since it is a satellite service. Northwestel was also given money from the broadband internet fund by the CRTC, which only benefit the company in my point of view.
Bell sold NWTEL but I'm certain that they still have their hooks into the new owners in some capacity
All lies. If they cared or did there job they wouldn't allow monopolies to form with the big 3. When they buy out the competition where is CRTC ? Nowhere because they're all corrupt and paid off.
Unfortunately, some here believe the government as you can see from the upvotes.
lol true
Anyone else getting tired hearing these empty promises coming the CRTC? Can we please abolish this commission and save a few pennies on our yearly taxes – please?
Rubbish. It’s absurd that people still believe these lies. Cognitive bias and a warped perception of reality are once again making their appearance in the comments section.
It's all lies without some severe oversight and serious rules in place that aren't navigable through loopholes. Remember how much the prices jumped when the big three were told that two year contracts were the new norm? They will find a way to circumnavigate every change put in place without being held accountable for every move they make. This is lip service at best.
Trash trash trash.
More data for the same prices as years when we should've had $60 for 60gb as an example where now it's 120gb for $60 but common total pricing hasn't gone down gimme a break.
CRTC needs to realize people are just bending over and taking it. This article doesn't explain also how cable pricing hasn't went down, the bundled deal is still expensive as inflation has killed all our pockets.
It will be just as affordable as the Carbon Taxes. Meaning if you are a silver spooned government grifter who gets all his services paid for, you will have no problem.
Everyone one else gets to pay thru the nose or do without. Personally, with the 5% Canadian Content fees the CRTC is strong arming, I expect I'll have to get a US cellular provider and streaming accounts soon and VPN the whole thing and leave all Canadian services to die.
https://media1.giphy.com/media/efOM5PJnWSEmnsHPuL/giphy-downsized-small.mp4
I'll believe it when I see it. As it stands now the Canadian mobile market sucks