No More $80 Fees From Rogers, Bell, and Telus. The CRTC Ban Is Now in Effect

Starting today, Canadians can switch wireless and internet providers without getting hit with activation or switching fees.

The CRTC’s ban on connection and modification fees officially takes effect today, Friday, June 12, putting an end to the $80 connection fees that Rogers, Telus, Bell and their flanker brands have been charging when activating with a human. The changes apply to both the Wireless Code and Internet Code and are specifically aimed at junk fees that made it harder and more expensive for people to switch providers or change their plans.

CRTC Chairperson and CEO Vicky Eatrides summed it up plainly back in March, noting the “decision removes extra fees to activate, change, or cancel a plan.” She added at the time, “this means that consumers can switch to a better deal without having to pay extra just to get the service that works best for them.”

There are a few exceptions worth knowing about. Carriers can still charge fees for physical labour like a technician visit for a home fibre installation, and fees for optional products the customer actively chooses are still allowed. The ban also doesn’t apply when a subscriber is paying off a subsidized device.

That said, some carriers are already finding workarounds it seems. Telus has introduced a mandatory $15 SIM fee for new connections (also applies to eSIM), and Bell is now charging a $40 device fee when customers buy a new phone.

Today’s change is just the first step in a broader overhaul. The CRTC says it plans to consolidate multiple industry codes into a single framework over the coming months to make consumer protections simpler and switching even easier.