OTTAWA – Industry Canada is cutting the regulatory fees for satellite companies that provide rural and remote communities with services including Internet, wireless mobile and broadcasting.
Tuesday’s announcement said the changes will make Canada a more competitive jurisdiction, attracting new investments from companies that want to expand into the Canadian marketplace and from companies that want to improve existing services.
The new reduced fee structure is expected to come into effect by April 1, 2016, putting Canada's satellite licensing fees on par with those in other countries, including the United States and the United Kingdom, the announcement continued. The move is the second phase in the modernization of Canada's satellite licensing framework, after the government introduced a streamlined regulatory process to improve licence application timelines in November 2013.
“Our government is committed to bringing affordable high-speed satellite services to Canadians living in rural and remote communities”, said Industry Minister James Moore, in the announcement. “By putting in place the right market conditions that support greater investment in the satellite sector, our government is supporting Canadian consumers by providing them with more choice, lower prices and better service."
"Telesat strongly supports the Government's ongoing initiatives to modernize Canada's satellite licensing framework”, added Telesat Canada president and CEO Daniel Goldberg. “The new fee structure introduced by Minister Moore reduces regulatory burden and places Telesat on a level playing field relative to operators licensed in other countries and will speed the delivery of next-generation satellite-delivered services to many Canadians living in rural and remote communities."
