Telecom affordability, broadcast revision key to CRTC mandate: Eatrides

The chair of the CRTC acknowledges that affordability is a pressing concern for many people and is vowing to bring telecom and broadcasting services more within reach for citizens. “Canadians are making choices between things like what groceries to buy and telecom services because there’s an affordability issue,” Vicky Eatrides told The Wire Report in an interview. “On both cellphone and internet services, we’ve taken a lot of action to make sure that we have more choice, more competition leading to more affordability.” In October, the CRTC released its updated strategic plan. Eatrides spoke of the regime, as well as implementing changes brought in by the Online Streaming Act and the Online News Act. “It’s building trust and confidence in the CRTC, making sure we’re working quickly and working efficiently,” the chair said. READ MORE: - CRTC opens door to participation funds for Online News Act - Google granted exemption from requirements of Online News Act The federal government, several years ago, set a broadband service goal of 50 Megabits per second (Mbps) for download and 10 Mbps for upload throughout Canada. Two main drivers toward the goal are the CRTC’s Broadband Fund, as well as the Universal Broadband Fund, administered by the department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED). There is just under a billion dollars left in ISED’s fund. The CRTC has spent more than $719 million so far, with another round of funding still to be announced. Eatrides mentioned that broadband rollout is an effort by all levels of government. In addition to federal funds, the provinces and territories have their own money set aside for internet infrastructure. Eatrides points to the deployment of high-speed internet in Nunavut. “We’re a tiny piece of a much broader government effort,” she notes. “ a very small percentage of all of the funding that goes into these builds.” According to data available from ISED, zero per cent of households in Nunavut were connected to 50/10 Mbps service in Nunavut as of December 2023. Meanwhile, under the Online Streaming Act, streaming services that were once exempt from commission oversight will now be under the CRTC’s purview. The regulator’s chair enthuses about the changes which are at hand. “We were charged with bringing online streamers into the broadcasting regulatory framework which is something that we are doing,” Eatrides says. “It’s a massive undertaking because we are really modernizing the entire regulatory system that has been in place for decades.” As part of the act, online streaming services generating over $25 million in annual Canadian revenues will be required to pay five per cent of those revenues to support domestic content, the CRTC announced in June. As of the 2024-2025 broadcast year, the new policy – which has been challenged by some streaming companies – is expected to inject approximately $200 million annually into Canada’s broadcasting system. READ MORE: - Amazon joins streamers’ advocacy group amid streaming act court challenges - Audio streamers’ group, Canadian advocacy org disagree on Streaming Act ‘tax’ Before becoming chair of the commission, Eatrides worked in private legal practice at Stikeman Elliott and has been in government since 2005. She toiled for the Competition Bureau, for ISED and the Department of Natural Resources. She was a senior deputy commissioner at the Competition Bureau. She was a director general for strategic policy and planning at Natural Resources, and an assistant deputy minister for strategic communications and marketing at ISED. Eatrides, who took over the role of chair from Ian Scott in 2023, is partway through her five-year term. She was non-committal when asked if she would accept an extension to her mandate. “We have so much work to do and all I think about and focus on is getting through the things that we need to get through so that we can deliver for Canadians,” she states. ppark@thewirereport.ca With files from Phalen Tynes-MacDonald

Telecom affordability, broadcast revision key to CRTC mandate: Eatrides

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By Paul Park
| November 18, 2024

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Telecom affordability, broadcast revision key to CRTC mandate: Eatrides

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By Paul Park
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