{"id":52853,"date":"2025-08-07T20:32:07","date_gmt":"2025-08-07T20:32:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/52853\/"},"modified":"2025-08-07T20:32:07","modified_gmt":"2025-08-07T20:32:07","slug":"telecoms-push-back-after-ottawa-upholds-crtcs-wholesale-internet-rules","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/52853\/","title":{"rendered":"Telecoms push back after Ottawa upholds CRTC\u2019s wholesale internet rules"},"content":{"rendered":"

Open this photo in gallery:<\/a><\/p>\n

Industry Minister Melanie Joly in Ottawa on July 11. Minister Joly declined to overturn a ruling by Canada\u2019s telecom regulator that allows incumbents to resell internet over each other\u2019s networks.Spencer Colby\/The Canadian Press<\/p>\n

The federal government is backing a ruling by Canada\u2019s telecom regulator that allows incumbents to resell internet over each other\u2019s networks, prompting strong reactions from companies and industry groups Thursday.<\/p>\n

In a statement late Wednesday night, Industry Minister M\u00e9lanie Joly declined to overturn the ruling, saying the findings were based on extensive consultation with experts and hundreds of public submissions. <\/p>\n

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission requires three carriers \u2013 BCE Inc.\u2019s Bell Canada BCE-T<\/a>, Telus Corp. T-T<\/a> and SaskTel \u2013 to give competitors access to their fibre networks at regulator-set rates, outside of their own territories. The policy is intended to increase competition and affordability for internet services.<\/p>\n

CRTC upholds decision allowing large telecoms to resell internet services on each other\u2019s networks<\/a><\/p>\n

Why are Canada\u2019s largest telecom companies selling stakes in their core infrastructure?<\/a><\/p>\n

While Telus is in favour of the policy, and has started offering internet over Bell\u2019s network in Ontario and Quebec, all other major carriers are opposed to it, arguing it could harm investment and competition in the long term.<\/p>\n

In her statement, Minister Joly said the policy would contribute to the new Liberal government\u2019s broader mandate to bring down costs for consumers. <\/p>\n

\u201cTo that end, the government is declining to alter the CRTC\u2019s decision to expand mandatory wholesale access,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

The decision is a departure from the last time Cabinet was asked to review the CRTC\u2019s policy. In December of last year, when faced with a similar review and vary abdication, then-industry minister Fran\u00e7ois-Philippe Champagne required the CRTC to reconsider its findings. In June, the regulator once again stood firm on its position.<\/a> Cabinet had until Aug. 13 to weigh in another time.<\/p>\n

Some of the country\u2019s leading carriers issued statements following Minister Joly\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n

Telus chief executive officer Darren Entwistle commended the verdict, saying it affirms the regulator is guided by due process. \u201cIt sends a strong signal to consumers, businesses and investors that the Canadian regulatory system is robust,\u201d he said in a statement. <\/p>\n

However, Rogers Communications Inc. RCI-B-T<\/a> said in a statement the decision \u201cdoes not incent Canadian companies to invest in Canada.\u201d Rogers and Bell have both warned they will cut investment if the policy is not changed.<\/p>\n

Cogeco Communications Inc. CCA-T<\/a> said it was dismayed by Ottawa\u2019s move, adding it \u201ccontradicts government efforts to promote sustainable competition and drive economic growth.\u201d In July, Cogeco and Bragg Communications Inc.\u2019s Eastlink filed with a federal court<\/a> for leave to appeal the CRTC\u2019s decision.<\/p>\n

Eastlink said in a statement Thursday it was suspending planned upgrades following the verdict, and over the next month, would identify communities that will become unprofitable and \u201crequire shutdown.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Canadian Telecommunications Association, representing industry players, apart from Telus, said the policy will undercut smaller players and urged the government to reverse course. <\/p>\n

The ultimate effect of this policy will depend on the mandatory access rates that the CRTC has yet to set. <\/p>\n

Talking to analysts Thursday morning, Bell CEO Mirko Bibic urged the regulator to ensure \u201cnetwork builders are fully compensated for the significant build cost and investment risk they take.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Open this photo in gallery: Industry Minister Melanie Joly in Ottawa on July 11. Minister Joly declined to…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":52854,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[18],"tags":[901,888,902,879,877,903,49,48,876,895,896,891,878,875,46,549,295,894,887,914,880,881,893,244,889,890,884,904,885,909,910,912,907,911,905,908,882,898,899,714,897,906,865,61,900,892,886,883,913],"class_list":["post-52853","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-internet","tag-alberta","tag-arts-news","tag-bc","tag-breaking-news","tag-breaking-news-video","tag-british-columbia","tag-ca","tag-canada","tag-canada-news","tag-canada-sports","tag-canada-sports-news","tag-canada-trafficcanada-weather","tag-canadian-breaking-news","tag-canadian-news","tag-economy","tag-education","tag-environment","tag-federal-government","tag-foreign-news","tag-globe-and-mail","tag-globe-and-mail-breaking-news","tag-globe-and-mail-canada-news","tag-government","tag-internet","tag-life-news","tag-lifestyle","tag-local-news","tag-manitoba","tag-national-news","tag-new-brunswick","tag-newfoundland-and-labrador","tag-northwest-territories","tag-nova-scotia","tag-nunavut","tag-ontario","tag-pei","tag-photos","tag-political-news","tag-political-opinion","tag-politics","tag-politics-news","tag-quebec","tag-sports-news","tag-technology","tag-travel","tag-trudeau","tag-us-news","tag-world-news","tag-yukon"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52853","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=52853"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/52853\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/52854"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=52853"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=52853"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=52853"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}