441-02024 (Media and telecommunications)

The Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views on the importance of reliable mobile cellular connectivity.

The Government of Canada knows that now more than ever, Canadians rely on telecommunications services for work, school, finances, health care, and staying connected. In particular, the Government recognizes that providing access to emergency services is a critical function of mobile cellular services. The Government is working to improve the reliability of telecommunications and better protect Canadians.

Following the Rogers outage in July 2022, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry brought together major telecommunications companies to improve Canada’s network reliability, and as a result, a memorandum of understanding between these companies is now in place with provisions on emergency roaming, mutual assistance, and improving public awareness around telecommunications outages.

In September 2022, the Government announced the Telecommunications Reliability Agenda, which includes a set of actions to improve the reliability and resilience of Canada’s telecommunications networks. As part of this work, the Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry charged the industry members of the Canadian Security Telecommunications Advisory Committee (CSTAC) with developing a set of recommendations to improve the reliability of Canada’s telecommunications networks. Similarly, the Minister requested that the industry members of the Canadian Forum for Digital Infrastructure Resilience (CFDIR) develop a set of recommendations to improve the reliability and resilience of digital infrastructure. Both CSTAC and CFDIR have submitted their recommendations and the Government is reviewing their reports. 

Additionally, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is holding a series of consultations to develop a regulatory framework to improve telecommunications network reliability and resiliency, beginning with its consultations on reporting telecommunications outages. The CRTC is also considering consultations on network resiliency principles, emergency services (9-1-1), public alerting, and other consumer protection measures.

Amendments to the Telecommunications Act have also been put forward as part of Bill C-26: An Act respecting cyber security, amending the Telecommunications Act and making consequential amendments to other Acts. It includes provisions that would enable the Government to take further action to promote the security and reliability of telecommunications networks.

A number of initiatives are also underway to improve universal access to telecommunications services in more challenging to connect rural and remote areas. In June 2019, the Government of Canada released High-Speed Access for All: Canada’s Connectivity Strategy, a historic commitment to make affordable, high-speed Internet infrastructure available to all Canadians and to improve mobile wireless access from coast to coast to coast. The Strategy outlines Canada's action plan to leverage new and existing investments and technologies, as well as to collaborate with provinces, territories and other partners.

The Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) is a key initiative under the Strategy and provides a total of $3.225 billion to support connectivity in underserved rural and remote communities. This includes up to $50 million for mobile Internet projects that primarily benefit Indigenous peoples, including projects along highways and roads where mobile connectivity is lacking. With this program, the Government has now made a total of $7.6 billion available to connect Canadians since 2015.

These investments build on existing programs that continue to roll out. The CRTC has a $675 million Broadband Fund in place, sourced through an industry levy, to support connectivity projects, including for mobile wireless networks in underserved communities and along major transportation roads. The Fund’s most recent third call for applications focused on transport projects, mobile wireless projects along major transportation roads, and projects requiring operational funding to increase satellite transport capacity in all eligible geographic areas across Canada.

The Government is also taking steps to improve mobile wireless connectivity by making more radiofrequency spectrum available, which is needed to provide services to Canadians. In November 2023, the Government concluded its auction of the 3800 MHz band, where it set a 100 MHz cap on how much combined 3500 MHz and 3800 MHz spectrum a provider could acquire, effectively reserving spectrum for smaller competitors. In total, 4,099 licences were awarded to 20 Canadian bidders, including 870 licences to small and regional providers across the country. When combined with the results of the 3500 MHz auction, small and regional providers have doubled their spectrum holdings, further strengthening their ability to offer competitive services.

In addition, on February 13, 2023, the Government issued a binding policy direction to the CRTC on a renewed approach to telecommunications policy. The policy direction requires Canada’s telecommunications regulator to regulate in a manner consistent with the Government’s priorities in telecommunications. The policy direction includes a range of measures to improve competition, affordability, consumer rights, and innovation, and will help the Government speed up deployment and reach its universal access goals.

Regarding wireless connectivity specifically, the policy direction instructs the CRTC to continue administering a funding mechanism for connectivity projects with consideration for greater priority on mobile wireless connectivity; to improve its approach to collecting and reporting data on mobile wireless coverage; and to periodically review the effectiveness of its mobile wireless services regulatory framework to help ensure Canadians have access to affordable mobile wireless services and improved wireless competition.

With respect to mobile wireless prices, data from Statistics Canada shows that with increased competition in the market in the past year, wireless prices have declined across the board by 26%. The government will continue to insist on improved competition and better prices for consumers.

The Government of Canada supports a competitive marketplace where consumers are treated fairly and shares the concerns that many Canadians have expressed regarding the practices of certain telecommunications companies. That is why the Government of Canada helped to establish the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-Television Services (CCTS) in 2007. The CCTS is an independent organization that provides consumers with recourse when they are unable to resolve disagreements directly with their Telecommunications Service Provider (TSP).

Although the CCTS had a 14% increase in the complaints it received last year, the CCTS has consistently resolved a high majority of the complaints it receives to the satisfaction of telecommunications customers. In their 2022-23 Annual Report, the CCTS reported that it had resolved 89% of the complaints it concluded that year to the satisfaction of both the consumer and the service provider, which is one percent higher than last year. The CCTS is well positioned to investigate any breaches of the Wireless Code and to ensure any issues are resolved appropriately. The CCTS is a valuable resource for Canadians seeking to resolve their telecommunications complaints, and is part of the Government’s overall approach to improving outcomes for consumers.

More information on the Government's efforts to improve mobile connectivity and resiliency can be found in the Telecommunications Reliability Agenda, Canada’s Connectivity Strategy, and the 2023 Policy Direction. The Government will continue to take action to promote access to reliable and dependable telecommunications services in all regions of the country.