Your voice, DELIVERED: OpenMedia’s submission to the government’s CRTC policy direction consultation is in! 

Nearly 16,000 members of the OpenMedia community have spoken out to shape the future of the CRTC. Thank you for adding your voices!

On July 19, 2022, we filed our submission to Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), urging our government to fix the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) so that it works for everyday Canadians — not Big Telecom. Tuesday’s submission was in response to ISED’s open consultation in order to provide input on Cabinet’s proposed 2022 policy directive for the CRTC. You can read our complete submission by clicking here. 

The OpenMedia community told ISED in no uncertain terms that the government’s vague and ambiguous instructions to the Commission need teeth. In order for the policy directive to provide Canadians with a more affordable and competitive telecom landscape, it must clearly express the government’s expectations for the CRTC, and introduce mechanisms to hold the Commission accountable. Nearly 5,000 community members expressed their concerns for more affordability, competition, and consumer protections in the comments they submitted to the consultation using OpenMedia’s #GrabTheMic consultation participation tool.

As part of our submission, OpenMedia also delivered over 14,000 signatures from people in Canada demanding that our next CRTC chair be a champion for the people’s Internet, not Big Telecom’s profits. The petition also reached the inboxes of Prime Minister Trudeau, ISED Minister Champagne, and Heritage Minister Rodriguez.

Why does the proposed CRTC policy direction matter — and why are we speaking out?

The CRTC has repeatedly made decisions that undermine affordability, choice, and competition in our wireless and Internet markets. Time and again, the Commission has put the needs of Big Telecom above everyday Canadians. Fixing Cabinet’s proposed instructions for the CRTC is an opportunity to turn the tables and make concrete commitments that hold the CRTC accountable to curbing Big Telecom’s monopoly power. Our consultation submission comes in the wake of the July 8 Rogers outage that left over ten million people without essential connectivity, and left our our banking and emergency systems scrambling. A dire change towards a more competitive and diverse telecom industry is more important than ever. 

We need enforceable binding instructions that prioritize affordability and competition — spearheaded by a new CRTC Chair committed to working for the public. 

All of this couldn't be done without you. With your support, a combined total of almost 16,000 unique community voices participated in this consultation to our government. Your message was clear: we’re done with Big Telecom’s stronghold over our country, contributing to some of the highest wireless and Internet prices in the world. Your message will help shape competition, choice, and affordability for years to come. 

From the bottom of our hearts, thank you for speaking up and being part of this submission! 

You can read our final submission here.

Image Credit: Ottawa Parliament by festivo