TORONTO – Ontario’s Lieutenant Governor in Council has appointed former CRTC Chairman Jean-Pierre Blais as a member of the province’s land tribunal, according to a November 23 release.
Blais was one of seven appointed to the position, effective November 17, that will be responsible for adjudicating matters related to land use planning, environmental and natural features and heritage protection, and issues related to valuation and compensation.
A long-time civil servant and lawyer, Blais was the former chairman of the CRTC from 2012 to 2017, and was known for his consumer advocacy. Until earlier this month, he was assistant deputy minister to…
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OTTAWA and GATINEAU — The CRTC today launched its third call for applications to its $750-million Broadband Fund for projects to improve access to broadband internet and mobile wireless services across Canada.
The CRTC’s third call focuses specifically on transport infrastructure projects, mobile wireless infrastructure projects along major roads, and projects requiring operational funding to increase satellite transport capacity in satellite-dependent communities, a press release explains.
“The CRTC is placing increased emphasis on community consultation and resiliency,” the release reads. “This means that when assessing the projects submitted under this call, the CRTC will…
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By Denis Carmel
OTTAWA – The House Canadian Heritage committee yesterday unanimously adopted an NDP amendment to the Online News Act, bill C-18, that would give technology platforms an interim one-year exemption from negotiations with news organizations to host their articles until they can be granted a full five-year exemption.
The five-year moratorium on negotiations with news organizations was adopted in a committee hearing on Friday, and the committee was looking to define the limit on an interim exemption that exists in the current version of the bill.
So yesterday, the committee decided that the interim period should be limited to…
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By Connie Thiessen
CBC News Explore has launched, the public broadcaster’s new free ad-supported streaming (FAST) news channel, available on digital and connected TV platforms.
The channel, announced today, will feature a curated selection of CBC journalism from across the country in addition to original programs, led by new Andrew Chang vehicle About That – a look at the day’s most compelling stories in a blend of conversation and feature interviews.
Other original programming includes This Week in Canada, a weekly show featuring original CBC News stories chosen for their ability to resonate with audiences across the…
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By Denis Carmel
OTTAWA – The Senate transport and communications committee today unanimously adopted an amendment introduced by Senator Julie Miville-Dechêne that will add a right to privacy clause in the proposed Online Streaming Act, which would empower the CRTC to further regulate digital entities.
“This approach would be similar to that taken in the Telecommunications Act,” federal privacy commissioner Philippe Dufresne said when he appeared in front of the committee in September. “It would ensure that privacy is fully taken into account in the interpretation and application of the bill, both by the CRTC…
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The telco also wants penalties charged against the cableco if it doesn’t pay
By Ahmad Hathout
OTTAWA – Bell has filed a Part 1 application with the CRTC today accusing Quebecor’s Videotron of failing to pay it fees related to the implementation of next-generation 9-1-1 networks.
Bell, as the legacy telephone company, provides to the cable company next-generation 9-1-1 services, which is intended to allow distressed callers to send texts, photos, streamed videos and medical information to first responders over the new internet protocol-based 9-1-1 network.
According to Bell, users of its 9-1-1 network must pay two bills – the existing 9-1-1 tariff…
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By Ahmad Hathout
The head of an organization that represents independent fixed-wireless providers said its members are being tangibly harmed by Innovation Canada’s lack of movement on processing their data in the federal broadband map.
Innovation Canada (ISED) told the Canadian Association of Wireless Internet Service Providers (CanWISP) in a January 2022 meeting that the department will not be accepting fixed-wireless coverage data for the federal broadband map, which the government uses to allocate federal funds, according to a letter sent earlier this month to Rural Economic Development Minister Gudie Hutchings.
ISED officials told CanWISP, according to the letter, that the “data…
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CALGARY — Shaw Communications today released its financial results for its fourth quarter and fiscal year that ended August 31, 2022, reporting a 1.5% year-over-year (y-o-y) decline in quarterly revenue to $1.36 billion and a 1.1% y-o-y decrease in full-year revenue to $5.45 billion.
Shaw’s adjusted EBITDA increased by 1.6% to $624 million in Q4 2022 and by 1.4% to $2.53 billion in fiscal 2022, when compared to the same periods of fiscal 2021.
Funds flow from operations declined 5.3% to $487 million in the fourth quarter of 2022 and fell 11.4% to $1.99 billion…
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By Konrad von Finckenstein, former CRTC chairman from 2007 to 2012
Section 5.1 and 5.2 were added at the last minute, when Bill C-11 was passed by the House of Commons. There was no discussion or explanation as to why they were needed or how they were intended to function.
They provide:
English and French linguistic minority communities
5.1 In regulating and supervising the Canadian broadcasting system and exercising its powers under this Act, the Commission shall enhance the vitality of official language minority communities in Canada and support and assist their development.
Consultation
5.2 (1) The Commission shall consult with official language minority communities in Canada when…
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OTTAWA – The Senate Transportation and Communications Committee defeated five of six amendments introduced by a Conservative senator intended to define parameters in bill C-11, a proposed around proposed legislation that would allow the CRTC to further regulate online streaming platforms.
The bill, also known as the Online Streaming Act, went through a clause-by-clause process at committee on Wednesday.
Saskatchewan Conservative Senator Denise Batters introduced six amendments, five of which did not survive. The first was to amend the definition of community channel to use “language of their choice” rather than “language used in a…
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