OTTAWA – Telemarketers could soon be picking up all of the costs related to the country’s national Do Not Call List if the government gets its way.
Industry Minister Christian Paradis confirmed that the government has proposed changes to Telecommunications Act allowing the CRTC to set fees designed to recover the costs of Do Not Call List (DNCL) investigations and enforcement from the telemarketing industry. Currently, telemarketers cover the costs of the operation of the DNCL while investigation and enforcement costs are funded by the government.
The amendments are still subject to approval by Parliament, but the CRTC is planning to hold consultations this summer on the fee structure, which will be implemented on April 1, 2013.
Established in 2008, the DNCL allows Canadian consumers to register free of charge to reduce the number of unsolicited telephone calls they receive. Approximately 10.6 million phone and fax numbers are currently registered on the list.
