Bell, Cogeco, Eastlink, SaskTel asking for $3/month increase to skinny basic packages
OTTAWA and GATINEAU — Six years after skinny basic TV packages were first introduced in Canada, with a CRTC-mandated price cap of $25 per month, a group of TV service providers has asked the Commission to increase that cap to $28 per month.
Bell, Cogeco Communications, Eastlink and SaskTel filed a joint application in January 2022 making the request, which also asked for subsequent yearly adjustments based on inflation, according to a CRTC press release today.
“They indicate that the proposed annual increase to the price of the basic TV package should be based on the annual consumer price index for the period ending December 31 of the preceding calendar year,” reads the CRTC’s release.
The Commission is now asking Canadians for their comments on the application. The deadline to submit is Oct. 28.
As mandated by the CRTC, the basic TV package “includes local and regional TV stations, channels with mandatory distribution, community, and provincial legislature channels (where available), and provincial and territorial educational channels,” the press release explains.
“Providers can also include other local TV stations (where less than 10 local stations are available), local radio stations, stations affiliated with major American networks (ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC) and PBS, and educational channels of another province or territory,” the release adds.
“Many Canadians rely on the basic TV package as a source for news, information, and entertainment,” said CRTC chair and CEO Ian Scott, in the release. “TV service providers are asking us if they may increase the maximum price of the basic TV package. We want to hear from Canadians about how a potential price increase could impact them. This will help ensure that we make an informed decision.”
