Vidéotron accuses SaskTel of undue preference regarding wholesale roaming tariffs

Québecor Inc.’s Vidéotron is accusing Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. (SaskTel) of undue preference and unjust discrimination regarding the Prairie-based provider’s tariffs for wholesale wireless roaming. In a Part 1 application submitted in French to the CRTC on June 11, Québecor argued SaskTel is using its market power to strong-arm Vidéotron into paying unreasonable tariffs for wholesale roaming access on its network. Québecor said SaskTel is Vidéotron’s only option for providing its customers with roaming coverage for most of Saskatchewan, arguing the Crown-owned telco was exploiting Vidéotron because it can’t move its services elsewhere. The application pointed to section 27(2) of the Telecommunications Act, which states “no Canadian carrier shall, in relation to the provision of a telecommunications service or the charging of a rate for it, unjustly discriminate or give an undue or unreasonable preference toward any person, including itself, or subject any person to an undue or unreasonable disadvantage.” Section 27(1) also states that “every rate charged by a Canadian carrier for a telecommunications service shall be just and reasonable.” Québecor’s application further argued Saskatchewan has the highest wireless wholesale rates in the country. The application also accused SaskTel of not participating in a tariff dispute resolution mechanism in front of the CRTC, thus giving itself undue preference and providing no recourse for Vidéotron. The CRTC aims to introduce regulations where competition is limited and therefore the market cannot appropriately regulate itself. In Telecom Regulatory Policy 2015-177, the commission determined it was necessary to regulate the wholesale roaming rates of BCE Inc.’s Bell Canada, Telus Corp., and Rogers Communications Inc., due to a lack of competition. SaskTel has until July 15 to respond to the accusations, but in its submission, Québecor said SaskTel had already argued its tariffs do not need to be regulated because it was not named in that policy decision. However, Québecor raised Telecom Regulatory Policy 2021-130 in which the CRTC identified SaskTel as exercising sole market power in the province, and added that section 27(1) and (2) applies to all Canadian carriers. In the application, Vidéotron asks the CRTC to identify SaskTel’s conduct as undue preference and end the wholesale roaming regulatory forbearance in Saskatchewan in the name of the commission’s pro-competition framework. As the dominant wholesale provider in the province, Vidéotron also asks the CRTC to require SaskTel to provide wholesale roaming services on its network. Further, it asks the commission to require SaskTel to begin filling tariff proposals to the CRTC and, in the interim, require SaskTel to offer these services in line with the current market conditions. Lastly, Vidéotron asks the commission to require SaskTel to participate in the commercial negotiation with final offer arbitration when required by a roaming partner, as set out in Telecom Decision 2024-233. mcollins@thewirereport.ca

Vidéotron accuses SaskTel of undue preference regarding wholesale roaming tariffs

Regulatory |
By Maria Collins
|June 16, 2026

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us

Vidéotron accuses SaskTel of undue preference regarding wholesale roaming tariffs

Regulatory | By Maria Collins |June 16, 2026

Unlock all the Canadian telecom, broadcasting and digital media news you need.

FREE TRIAL

SUBSCRIBE

Solomon touts regulator’s unprecedented ‘enforcement power’ under privacy, social media bills

CRTC warns Bell and Telus about improper fees for wireless coverage

CRTC chair vows to continue supporting Canadian stories as Liberals pivot on streaming rules

Related Stories

CRTC warns Bell and Telus about improper fees for wireless coverage

CRTC chair vows to continue supporting Canadian stories as Liberals pivot on streaming rules

CRTC launches consultation on combining consumer protection codes

CRTC counsels Telus not to initiate purchase fee for SIM cards

Reuse & Permissions

Inside The Wire Report

Information

Hill Times Publishing

Get in Touch With Us

Regulatory |
By Maria Collins
|June 16, 2026