OTTAWA – The CRTC has laid out its 2020-2021 Forecast for the next two years under the headings of Telecommunications, Broadcasting and Consumer and public protection.
Designed to supplement the CRTC Departmental Plan 2019-2020, the Commission said that the publications are designed to help foster a predictable regulatory environment by providing advance public notice of its activities over the next two fiscal years, each running from April 1 to March 31.
Highlights from the forecast include:
Telecommunications
– Improve broadband internet access service across Canada
– Implement the regulatory framework for mobile wireless services
– Determine configurations and rates for disaggregated wholesale high-speed access services
– Review wireline wholesale services and interconnection
– Review the CRTC’s approach to setting wholesale service rates
Broadcasting
– Review the Indigenous broadcasting policy
– Initiate the renewal of the licences of CBC/Radio-Canada
– Review the commercial radio policy
– Implement initiatives set out in the “Harnessing Change” report, such as whether to examine new mechanisms to support television news production and to monitor the digital media environment
– Implement a digital monitoring system for radio
Consumer and public protection
– Ensure compliance with the Accessible Canada Act (ACA)
– Protect Canadians against nuisance calls and spam
– Measure national broadband performance
– Follow-up on its 2019 report on the retail sales practices of large TSPs
– Evaluate next-generation 9-1-1 services
– Monitor public emergency alerting
The CRTC added that it will adjust its plans as needed, particularly given that proceedings may be initiated at any time by applications filed by a stakeholder or a member of the public, a request from the Federal Government, or on its own initiative, given that its broader operating environment is subject to change.
