What to know
- Canada’s telecom regulator will eliminate fees for activating, changing or cancelling internet and phone plans under new rules added to the Telecommunications Act.
- The decision follows public consultations that found extra fees were discouraging Canadians from switching providers or changing plans.
- The CRTC says the move is part of broader consumer-protection efforts, with additional rule reviews and public hearings planned in the coming months.
Having to cancel or switch an internet or phone plan is never fun, but Canada is making the process easier by eliminating fees.
On Thursday, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced it is adding new measures to its Telecommunications Act that will eliminate cancellation fees.
The new rules will erase any fees required to cancel, change, or activate, and aim to allow consumers to have flexibility over their plans and take advantage of any offers.
The decision comes after CRTC held a public consultation with consumers and service providers to understand what could be preventing Canadians from switching or cancelling their internet or phone plans.
“We are taking action to give Canadians more control over their Internet and cellphone services. Today’s decision removes extra fees to activate, change or cancel a plan. This means that consumers can switch to a better deal without having to pay extra just to get the service that works best for them,” CRTC’s Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer Vicky Eatrides said in a statement.
The fee elimination is only one of other measures CRTC is planning to make consumers’ lives easier. The commission says that it will be introducing consumer protection changes in the upcoming months, including reviewing their current rules and holding public hearings to simplify and combine the measures.
