Interventions from public support CRTC combining consumer protection codes

The CRTC has published the first set of interventions on its proposed harmonized consumer protection code. The applications, all from private citizens, overwhelmingly support the new measures. Chioma Ossai of Calgary reported being frustrated by the uncertainty surrounding consumer rights. Another Calgarian, Darlene Kent, urged the regulator to make it easier for customers to cancel their plan, saying company representatives apply a hard sell to retain clients. Meanwhile, Vancouver’s Nicholas Liu offered his support for the new initiative. “For too long, telecommunications and internet service providers in Canada have weaponized the complexity of separate, fragmented codes to engage in predatory billing practices and lock consumers into unreasonable, anti-competitive contracts,” he wrote. “When providers bury critical terms across disparate wireless, internet, and television policies, it creates intentional confusion that severely limits a consumer's ability to navigate their rights, compare services, or exercise meaningful market choice.” In a lengthy brief, Yanncik Picard of Toronto endorsed the notion of a new combined consumer code. “However, harmonization must mean harmonizing upward, not watering protections down,” he stated. Maple Ridge, B.C., retiree Denis Polsom complained about pricing policies he experienced as a customer of Telus Corp. He said it was difficult to get credits for overcharges on his bill. Billy O’Neill of Mississauga chided Rogers Communications Inc. for not offering the option of picking up cell phones at retail stores, instead charging a $25 delivery fee. Sylvan Mably of Toronto accused wireless providers of hiding rate increases in the small print of monthly statements. This subverts the intent of prior notification, the intervention asserted. Telus and its flanker brand Koodo are currently the only carriers offering a call control feature that requires unknown callers to press a randomly generated digit before connecting a call. This cuts down on robo-calls and scam messages. Edmonton’s Dylan Bailey wants this feature to be made mandatory for all carriers. Travis Arnold of Ladysmith, B.C., warned e-transfers can be used to perpetuate fraud on wireless devices, as numbers can be assigned to new users when previous customers give up service. Funds will be sent to the new user rather than the intended recipient. In another detailed application, Branden Tobin of Stephenville, N.L., worried about telecoms getting around prohibitions of service locking. “Harmonizing and simplifying consumer protection codes is meaningful only if the resulting framework addresses the technical avenues carriers use to restrict consumer flexibility,” he averred. “Device portability must mean that a fully certified, compliant handset is treated symmetrically across every federally regulated network infrastructure in Canada.” ppark@thewirereport.ca

Interventions from public support CRTC combining consumer protection codes

Regulatory |
By Paul Park
|July 17, 2026

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|July 17, 2026