CRTC
CRTC Promises ‘Affordable’ Internet and Cellphone Services are Coming
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...
Ontario is Getting a New Area Code in 2025, Says CRTC
A new area code is coming to Ontario in the spring of 2025, announced the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) today. Starting April 26, 2025, Ontario will debut a new 942 area code to meet the growing demand for phone numbers in the region. Current area codes are 416, 437, and 647. The decision...
CRTC ‘Taking Action’: Asks Rogers, Telus, Bell to Lower Roaming Rates
No, this isn’t a story from The Onion. The CRTC says it will be pushing to lower cellphone costs for Canadians traveling both internationally and within the country. A review found that Canadians often pay high daily fees for roaming abroad, typically between $10 to $16 a day, no matter how much they actually use...
Apple, Spotify and More Urge Canadians to ‘Scrap the Streaming Tax’
The Digital Media Association (DiMA), representing music streaming services like Amazon, Apple Music, Spotify, and YouTube, has launched a campaign urging Canadians to oppose the new federal levy on streaming services. The group set up a website called "Scrap the Streaming Tax," arguing that the government's new Online Streaming Act, also known as Bill C-11,...
CRTC Drops $8 Million to Expand Rural Internet in Manitoba
The CRTC is funding high-speed fibre Internet projects for 16 rural communities in Manitoba. The telecom regulator will spend $8 million for Westman Communications Group build around 310 kilometres of new fibre infrastructure (works out to $25,806 per kilometre). This funding is part of the CRTC’s $3.2 billion Broadband Fund. So far, it’s improved Internet...
Telus and Bell Get $8.5 Million to Boost Cell Service in 2 Provinces
The CRTC says it is taking steps to improve cellphone service along nearly 100 kilometres of major roads in Newfoundland and Labrador, Quebec, and Ontario. The Commission will provide $17 million to Bell, TBayTel, Telus, and Sogetel Mobilité to build new cell towers and boost cellphone coverage along eight major roads. Bell and Telus will...
Telus and Bell Must Open Fibre Networks Nationwide, Says CRTC
Back in November 2023, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) sought to increase internet competition by mandating Telus and Bell to open up their wholesale fibre networks in Ontario and Quebec to smaller competitors. Today, the CRTC has announced it has extended this decision to now force Telus, Bell and SaskTel to bring nationwide wholesale...
CRTC Streaming Tax Blasted by Music Industry Group
Back in June, the CRTC announced a streaming tax that would force providers such as Spotify and Apple Music to pay up and contribute to a legacy broadcasting fund. Now, Music Canada, the nation’s recording industry association, argues that this decision benefits traditional media while discouraging investment in new innovations. Patrick Rogers, CEO of Music Canada,...
CRTC Seeks Info from Rogers on Connection Fee Increase to $70
Rogers and Fido increased its one-time connection fee last week to a whopping $70, and now this change has caught the attention of the CRTC. On Friday, the CRTC issued a request for information to Ruth Altman, Director of Regulatory Consumer Policy at Rogers, regarding recent changes to this connection fee. The inquiry is about...
CRTC to Spend $79 Million for High-Speed Internet in Northern Quebec
The CRTC announced today a new plan to provide high-speed fibre Internet to five Inuit communities in northern Quebec. This project aims to build upon previous Broadband Fund projects in the Nunavik region and ensure all Kativik communities have high-speed Internet. The cost of the project will be $79.4 million from the Broadband Fund, for...
CRTC Report Explains the ‘Catastrophic’ Rogers Outage from 2022 [Update]
The CRTC has released its commissioned report by Xona Partners that has summarized the “catastrophic" 2022 Rogers outage that affected both wireless and wireline services that impacted over 12 million personal and business customers, that lasted over 26 hours, before services started to be restored. "In this report we detail the findings for the period...
CRTC Starts Public Consultation on Google’s Online News Act Exemption
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has launched a public consultation on Google's exemption application under the Online News Act, formerly known as Bill C-18. The Online News Act, which received Royal Assent last June and came into force in December, aims to bring fair compensation for Canadian news organizations by online platforms that...
