City of Toronto votes to support crucial CRTC rules on Internet choice and affordability

Council rejects Mayor Tory’s problematic call for federal Cabinet to overturn CRTC rules designed to ensure Canadians have affordable fibre Internet options

February 4, 2016 – Toronto City Council sent a strong message to the federal government today, as it voted 28 to 5 to support a crucial CRTC ruling that aims to ensure Canadians have affordable options for fibre Internet access. The Council backed Councillor Mike Layton’s motion that rejected a previous call by Mayor John Tory for the federal Cabinet to overturn the CRTC’s decision.

As a result of today’s vote, Toronto Council has joined the City of Calgary, the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses, consumer groups, and independent experts, along with nearly 65,000 individual Canadians urging Innovation Minister Navdeep Bains to uphold the CRTC’s ruling and reject Bell’s appeal.

“Despite Mayor Tory’s incomprehensible decision to support less choice and higher costs for high speed internet, it’s great to see that the City has rallied together in support of its residents, and Canada’s digital economy.” said Josh Tabish, OpenMedia Campaigns Director. “This decision sends a critical message to the federal Cabinet that Canada’s largest city believes that competition and affordability are critical to our digital economy.”

The decision on the CRTC rules is shaping up as one of the most important items on Minister Bains’ agenda. If allowed to stand, more affordable independent Internet providers will be enabled to offer blazing-fast fibre Internet to businesses and residents across Canada. If Minister Bains overturns the CRTC decision, Canadians will only be able to access fibre Internet from telecom giants charging some of the highest prices in the world for the service.

Canadians are calling on Minister Bains to side with customers in support of affordable, competitive, high-speed fibre Internet at https://act.openmedia.org/emergency