Published Aug 15, 2025 \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 Last updated 8\u00a0hours ago \u00a0\u2022\u00a0 3 minute read<\/p>\n
<\/a><\/p>\n You can save this article by registering for free here<\/a>. Or sign-in<\/a> if you have an account.<\/p>\n Prime Minister Mark Carney\u2019s decision to shuffle M\u00e9lanie Joly into the industry minister role is paying dividends for Canadian consumers.<\/p>\n Advertisement 2<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY<\/p>\n Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada.<\/p>\n Exclusive columns by Ryan Stelter, Paul Friesen, Ted Wyman, Scott Billeck, Lorrie Goldstein, Warren Kinsella and others. 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Plus newsletters: Gimme Stelter for your beat on the city, The Exit Row for all your Jets news and On the Rocks for curling.Unlimited online access to Winnipeg Sun and 15 news sites with one account.Winnipeg Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition to view on any device, share and comment on.Daily puzzles, including the New York Times Crossword.Support local journalism.<\/p>\n REGISTER \/ SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one account.Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments.Enjoy additional articles per month.Get email updates from your favourite authors.<\/p>\n THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK.<\/p>\n Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience.<\/p>\n Access articles from across Canada with one accountShare your thoughts and join the conversation in the commentsEnjoy additional articles per monthGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an Account<\/p>\n or<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Joly took over as industry minister earlier this year, at a crucial time for the future of internet competition in Canada.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Recommended Videos<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Former prime minister Justin Trudeau\u2019s long-time industry minister, Fran\u00e7ois-Philippe Champagne, stood in the way of more telecom competition for years.<\/p>\n But Joly is now signalling that she is charting her own path by supporting a policy that will help get the cost of Canadians\u2019 internet bills down at a time when affordability is a major concern for everyday consumers. The CRTC, Canada\u2019s communications regulator, has argued for years that consumers would benefit from more cross-regional competition. Such competition would encourage more of Canada\u2019s major regional internet providers to enter markets in other areas of the country.<\/p>\n The Winnipeg Sun’s Daily Headline News<\/p>\n Thanks for signing up!<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n Advertisement 3<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n This would help to break Canada\u2019s regional telecom duopolies, which are largely responsible for the fact that Canadians pay some of the highest internet bills among peer countries. The CRTC made a decision to that effect a few years ago: the CRTC ruled that Canada\u2019s big internet companies need to share their fibre networks with other companies, at prices determined by the CRTC.<\/p>\n Even though this decision was made years ago, it wasn\u2019t finalized by the government until last week. The government still needed to decide whether to finalize the CRTC\u2019s decision or reverse course and protect the regional duopoly market that exists in Canada today.<\/p>\n Thankfully, Joly sided with consumers.<\/p>\n \u201cCanadians depend on telecommunications services for every aspect of life,\u201d said Joly in a statement. \u201cBy immediately increasing competition and consumer choice, the CRTC\u2019s decision aims to reduce the cost of high-speed internet for Canadians and will contribute toward our broader mandate to bring down costs across the board.\u201d<\/p>\n Advertisement 4<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n \u201cTo that end, the government is declining to alter the CRTC\u2019s decision to expand mandatory wholesale access.\u201d<\/p>\n This is a welcome change from the delays of the Champagne years.<\/p>\n Bell, one of Canada\u2019s largest telecom companies, had been lobbying Champagne for years to try to prevent the very decision Joly made last week. Bell is one of the biggest beneficiaries of the current framework that lacks real competition in regional markets.<\/p>\n And it\u2019s quite possible that all of Bell\u2019s lobbying led to years of delays on the part of the Trudeau government to uphold the CRTC\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n Thankfully, Joly made the right call. She says the Carney government is focused on lowering costs for consumers, and by making this decision Joly is helping to do exactly that. Broadband costs in Canada are nearly double the costs in peer countries like France and Germany. That needs to change, and cross-regional competition is the best way to get there.<\/p>\n Advertisement 5<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n As Joly said, upholding the CRTC\u2019s decision \u201cwill immediately allow for more competition on existing networks for high-speed internet services across the country.\u201d<\/p>\n In most provinces, only two major internet carriers operate. And when there\u2019s less competition, prices for consumers increase.<\/p>\n Joly\u2019s decision to uphold the CRTC\u2019s call for more competition will bring more companies to different parts of Canada and consumers will have the opportunity to shop around among more internet providers for the best deal. This, in turn, will help to foster competition and bring prices down.<\/p>\n Canadians pay ridiculously high prices for internet access. Consumers should now have reason for optimism that things will start to change in the right direction.<\/p>\n Advertisement 6<\/p>\n This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below.<\/p>\n Article content<\/p>\n The Trudeau Liberals had a long track record in government of pursuing policies that raise prices for consumers.<\/p>\n With this decision, Carney and Joly might be starting to signal to Canadians that Canada\u2019s new government does care about keeping costs down.<\/p>\n In the wake of scrapping the consumer carbon tax and ending the Digital Services Tax, this decision on expanding competition in Canada\u2019s telecom space is yet another example of pro-consumer policies coming out of Ottawa over the past number of months.<\/p>\n Let\u2019s hope the momentum keeps going.<\/p>\n \u2014 Jay\u00a0Goldberg\u00a0is the Canadian\u00a0Affairs Manager at\u00a0the Consumer Choice Center, and a guest writer for the Winnipeg Sun.<\/p>\n![\"Canadian](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/joly-nato.jpg\")
Joly is now signalling that she is charting her own path by supporting a policy that will help get the cost of Canadians\u2019 internet bills down at a time when affordability is a major concern for everyday consumers. Photo by Omar Havana \/Getty ImagesArticle content<\/p>\n![\"Winnipeg](\"https:\/\/dcs-static.gprod.postmedia.digital\/19.3.2\/websites\/images\/identity\/logo-identity-wsun-new.svg\"){kind=logo}
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