Rogers, Bell, and Telus Must Now Let You Cancel Without Calling Anyone

The CRTC is making it much easier for Canadians to walk away from their internet or cellphone provider by requiring companies to offer digital cancellation options. In a news release issued on Friday, the regulator confirmed that customers must now be allowed to change or cancel their plans through an app, online, or by email.

So basically you will be able to cancel your plans from the likes of Rogers, Telus and Bell without calling in and talking to a human.

This decision follows a public consultation and new requirements under the Telecommunications Act to strengthen consumer protections. By mandating these self-service tools, the CRTC intends to give Canadians the flexibility to manage their services on their own and switch to better offers without unnecessary hurdles. CRTC Chairperson Vicky Eatrides explained that while increasing competition is a priority, having more choice is not enough if Canadians do not have simple ways to take advantage of those options.

This move is part of a larger Consumer Protections Action Plan that has already seen the CRTC eliminate extra fees on plans and improve how companies notify customers about expiring contracts and discounts. The regulator also recently took action to ensure Canadians receive unlocked cellphones when signing up for new plans or trading in devices.

So when will you be able to do this? The CRTC says this will kick into effect on April 26, 2027. That gives telecoms one year to set things up.

Looking forward, the CRTC plans to make shopping for internet services even simpler by ensuring plans are presented clearly. The regulator also intends to hold a future consultation to combine and simplify all its Consumer Protection Codes into one single code to further empower users.