OTTAWA and GATINEAU — The CRTC announced today seven projects in British Columbia and Alberta will receive up to $19.5 million in funding from its Broadband Fund.
In total, the projects will benefit approximately 1,255 households in 10 communities, including seven Indigenous communities, across the two provinces, according to the CRTC’s press release.
A backgrounder for the announcement says the CRTC’s Broadband Fund will allocate the money to four service providers in the following way:
ATG Arrow Technology Group Limited Partnership (Arrow) will receive up to $4 million to build or improve fixed broadband Internet access services for…
Continue Reading
YouTube says currently, C-11 could harm Canadian content creators
OTTAWA – YouTube is warning Bill C-11, known as the Online Streaming Act, could harm Canadian digital creators.
A Canadian Press story, published in multiple news outlets, says a briefing “provided on a not-for-attribution basis” indicates the platform believes C-11 risks downgrading the popularity of Canadian content abroad thereby cutting into Canadian YouTubers’ earnings.
“YouTube fears the measures in the proposed Online Streaming Act, designed to promote Canadian content, could skew the algorithm they and other digital platforms use to match content with viewers’ personal preferences,” the story reads.
This is not…
Continue Reading
When they manage contractual relations
By Denis Carmel
MONTREAL – Last Thursday, March 24, the Supreme Court of Canada determined it would not hear the case of the Government of Québec ordering Internet service providers (ISPs) to block some gambling sites, therefore confirming a Court of Appeal of Québec (CAQ) ruling, that in this case, telecommunications falls within federal jurisdiction, as it interfered with the ISPs’ operations.
By coincidence, the same day the same CAQ confirmed, in part, a ruling from the Superior Court stating that articles of the Québec Consumer Protection Act (CPA) could be used to govern…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The CRTC today approved the broadcast side of the merger between Rogers Communications and Shaw Communications, with several conditions attached.
The Commission concluded the transaction – when modified – “is in the public interest and advances the objectives set out for the Canadian broadcasting system in the Broadcasting Act,” its decision reads. “Canadians as consumers will benefit from this transaction.”
One of the conditions included in the decision requires Rogers to submit a revised tangible benefits proposal. Tangible benefits were a significant topic of discussion during the CRTC’s hearing last November.
Originally, Rogers proposed a tangible benefits package…
Continue Reading
WINNIPEG – A new 584 area code will be gradually introduced in Manitoba starting Oct. 29, 2022.
The province is currently served by the 204 and 431 area codes.
The introduction of the new area code is the result of a CRTC decision “and is intended to meet the continuously growing demand for new telephone numbers,” says a press release from the Telecommunications Alliance, which runs communications on behalf of Canada’s major telecom service providers regarding the introduction of new area codes.
“The introduction of a new area code creates millions of additional telephone numbers without affecting the existing numbers,” said…
Continue Reading
“I’m not building yesterday’s telecom,” founder says
By Amanda OYE
RICHMOND, B.C. – After spending nearly two decades working for a major Canadian telecom, Babbl Communications’ president and founder Jason Speers (above) decided to put what he had learned to use to bring down Internet prices in western Canada.
Babbl is a third-party Internet access (TPIA) provider that was launched last September and currently serves over 40 communities in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, Southern Vancouver Island and the Sea to Sky Corridor.
Internet packages, which are currently being offered at a discounted rate, include $35/month for Internet 75, $45/month…
Continue Reading
Freedom Mobile founder wants to buy the company back
TORONTO – Xplornet Communications Inc. is in talks with Rogers Communications Inc. about purchasing Shaw Communication Inc.’s Freedom Mobile, according to the Globe and Mail, which cites “three sources familiar with the talks.”
It was reported last week Rogers is in talks with potential buyers for Freedom. This news followed a statement from François-Philippe Champagne, the minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, which indicated he would not allow Rogers to acquire all of Shaw’s wireless assets.
Rogers needs approvals from the CRTC, Competition Bureau and ISED before it can…
Continue Reading
MONTREAL — The province of Quebec will see the introduction of three new area codes later this year.
Starting Oct. 22, the new area code 263 will be introduced in Montreal, which is currently served by area codes 514 and 438.
At the same time, the new area code 354 will be added in the regions currently served by area codes 450 and 579 in the surrounding area of Montreal.
In addition, the new area code 468 will be added to the regions covered by area codes 819 and 873, which includes communities in central and western Quebec such as Gatineau, Sherbrooke,…
Continue Reading
Also requests he make careful decisions about his participation in certain proceedings
GATINEAU – The Competitive Network Operators of Canada (CNOC) today asked CRTC chair and CEO Ian Scott directly to resolve a backlog of CRTC decisions and to consider his participation in certain Commission proceedings.
In a letter filed today via GCKey, which Cartt.ca has received a copy of, CNOC asks Scott “to resolve the Commission’s backlog of competition moving decisions as soon as possible,” arguing the CRTC “has accumulated a severe backlog of pending decisions and / or inactive proceedings that involve matters that are critical to…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – The CRTC announced today it has estimated its total broadcasting regulatory costs for the 2022-2023 fiscal year under subsection 9(1) of the Broadcasting Licence Fee Regulations will be $34 million.
The estimate is used to help determine the Part I licence fees paid annually by certain broadcasting undertakings.
The annual adjustment amount referred to in subsection 8(2) of the regulations for 2020-2021 is $479,000, however, Part I licence fees paid or payable by licensees were remitted for the 2020-2021 fiscal year, according to Broadcasting Order CRTC 2022-70. (This was in consideration of the impact of the pandemic on broadcasters.)
Taking…
Continue Reading
