Alberta, B.C. ministers calls on federal government to halt high-speed access review

Two provincial cabinet ministers are calling on the federal cabinet to halt the review of the CRTC’s interim decision on wholesale high-speed access. Last November, cabinet ordered the CRTC to take another look at its November 2023 decision on access to the fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) wholesale high-speed framework, which ordered Bell and Telus to open up their FTTP networks to competitors in Ontario and Quebec. More specifically, the regulator has been tasked with reconsidering whether or not incumbent companies BCE Inc., Rogers Communications Inc. and Telus Corp. should be prohibited from using aggregated FTTP services on a wholesale basis in the two provinces. At the time of the interim decision, there were no restrictions on the Big Three from using it to access each other’s networks. Bell was opposed to this decision and petitioned the government to either overturn it, or change it so that it would apply across the country and restrict all incumbents from access. Now, Alberta MLA Nate Glubish (Strathcona-Sherwood Park, Alta.) has sent a letter to federal Innovation, Science and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne (Saint-Maurice–Champlain, Que.) in which he said he is worried the western-based Telus will lose out on new markets if the decision is overturned and the incumbents are blocked from access. “The CRTC's reforms were the result of extensive consultation with industry experts, consumer advocates, and competition specialists. Its goal was clear: to bring new competitive options to underserved regions like Ontario and Quebec,” the provincial minister of technology and innovation wrote. “Telus’s entry into these markets aligns perfectly with these objectives, increasing choice and affordability for consumers. Alberta strongly supports these reforms and their potential to drive competition and reduce costs for Canadians.” British Columbia’s Minister of Citizens’ Services, George Chow, (Vancouver-Fraserview, B.C.) expressed similar sentiments in a Jan. 17 letter to Champagne. “Efforts to increase competition almost exclusively through advantages provided to the smallest companies -- that are not major employers and that make limited critical infrastructure investments -- create new challenges instead of resolving the root issue of affordability,” he stated. “Enabling third party competition at all cost is detrimental to the overall health of our telecom industry that is critical for economic and employment stability.” It is worth noting that as of the time of cabinet’s order, it had already been a year since the interim decision was made and the CRTC has since issued an updated, final decision in August 2024 – which expanded the regime nationwide and this time restricted Bell, Telus, and the newly added Saskatchewan Telecommunications Holding Corp. (SaskTel) from using wholesale services within their traditional serving territories. According to the CRTC, the incumbents are still free to use them outside of those territories because it gives them the potential to act as a “new competitor” and disrupt the market. For its part, Telus has asked the Federal Court to quash the cabinet order on the earlier decision and accuses the government of trying to overturn an independent CRTC order, unfairly meeting “behind closed doors” with other parties, and failing to adequately consult with provincial governments. The application for judicial review was filed Dec. 4. READ MORE: - Bell won’t participate in subsidized broadband projects if wholesale access for Big Three continues, signs agreement with CNOC - Telus calls wholesale cabinet order ‘protectionist play,’ ‘not fair to consumers’ - Telus’ arguments for incumbent access to wholesale regime not supported by competitors Glubish told The Wire Report it was “hypocritical” for the federal government to seek to limit the western incumbent’s entry into new markets. When Quebecor Inc. purchased Freedom Mobile from Shaw Communications, an eastern-based company was given access to an expanded customer base in western Canada, he noted. “Allowing the CRTC's reforms to proceed will foster a competitive broadband market, delivering real value to consumers and advancing Canada's economic and innovation goals,” the letter to Champagne stated. Glubish’s position puts him at odds with the Competitive Network Operators of Canada. In a Jan. 27 news release, the lobby group said the rules around access should prioritize small and medium players. “If Canadians want real choice, the Big Three must not be allowed to use the CRTC’s wholesale access regime,” CNOC stated. “The CRTC must act and close this loophole.” Telus has launched a campaign, Demand More Internet Choice, to promote the idea of gaining access to other incumbents’ networks. As of Jan. 27, over 200,000 people had signed the online petition. In response to the Telus advertising campaign, CNOC has launched its own campaign, labelled Break Free From The Big Three. Glubish told The Wire Report he has not heard from any other western politicians on the issue. Since his letter is so recent, he says he did not really expect to. He has not had a reply from Champagne, either, but sees a reason for that. “He’s probably more wrapped up with the pending election and his government imploding,” the Alberta minister said. ppark@thewirereport.ca With files from Phalen Tynes-MacDonald Editor's note: This story has been updated to include George Chow’s intervention.

Alberta, B.C. ministers calls on federal government to halt high-speed access review

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By Paul Park
| January 29, 2025

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Alberta, B.C. ministers calls on federal government to halt high-speed access review

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