REGINA — The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is implementing new consumer protection measures to help Canadians avoid unexpected spikes in their internet and cellphone bills.
The new rules, announced April 13, mandate that service providers notify customers before their contracts or time-limited discounts come to an end, and when international roaming charges reach specific limits.
Vicky Eatrides, chairperson and chief executive officer of the CRTC, said the decision aims to empower consumers.
“Canadians now have more choice for internet and cellphone services at more affordable prices,” Eatrides said in a statement. “We want everyone to choose the plans that work best for them. Today’s decision helps make sure Canadians can shop around and switch to a better deal by getting clear and timely notifications.”
Contract and promotion alerts
Under the updated regulations, telecom providers must send a notice 90 days before the end of a fixed-term contract. The notification must be delivered via the customer’s preferred method, such as email, text message or postal mail.
To help consumers shop around, these notices must include a hyperlink to a list of the provider’s available service plans. For customers with device rental plans, the notification must clearly outline their options to either return the smartphone or pay a final amount to keep it.
The CRTC is also targeting sudden price increases tied to expiring promotions. Service providers must now alert customers 90 days before a time-limited discount or promotion ends, provided the discount originally lasted longer than three months.
Updates to roaming charges
For travellers, the regulator is overhauling international roaming notifications to prevent customers from returning home to massive bills.
Providers will be required to send an alert to customers when their data usage reaches $50, which is half of the existing $100 roaming charge cap. The alert must clearly explain the available roaming options and detail how customers can access them.
Local impact and implementation
SaskTel, the province’s largest telecom provider, stated it is currently evaluating the new federal mandates to see how they will affect local users.
“We are aware of the CRTC’s announcement regarding customer notifications and are reviewing the decision to understand if it will have impacts on our operations,” the Crown corporation said in a statement. “As Saskatchewan’s homegrown communications leader, SaskTel is proud to deliver high-quality communications services and is committed to providing customers with clear, timely information to help them make informed decisions about their services.”
The new consumer protections will officially come into effect on April 13, 2027, giving telecom companies a year to implement the necessary system changes. In the interim, service providers are required to submit quarterly progress reports to the CRTC until the rollout is complete.
