CRTC aims to combine consumer protection codes for internet, phone and TV services

Vicky Eatrides, chair and chief executive officer of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), is shown in Gatineau, Que., on Wednesday, April 22, 2026. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

GATINEAU — Canada’s telecommunications and broadcasting regulator is launching a consultation to review its consumer protection codes, with the goal of simplifying and combining them into one.

The CRTC says those regulatory documents — which individually cover wireless, internet and TV providers as well as disconnection terms — include consumer protections that are not consistent across services due to having been implemented at different times.

It says this has created confusion for customers while being administratively burdensome for companies, especially since Canadians often purchase bundled internet, phone and television services.

Through its consultation, the regulator hopes to make consumer protections easier to understand, reduce billing surprises and help Canadians make informed choices, while also improving consistency for service providers and resolving customer complaints faster.

The commission is accepting comments until Aug. 11 and will hold a public hearing starting Nov. 30.

It’s the latest in a series of measures by the CRTC to improve consumer protections, including new rules that kick in today banning telecom companies from charging customers when they cancel, change or activate plans.