Finance Committee on Feb. 9th, 2026

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

We need to stop there. Thank you very much, Mr. Garon.

On behalf of the committee, I'd like to thank the minister and the officials accompanying him. We're going to take a short break and suspend the meeting before starting the next hour.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

We are going to get started. We will resume the meeting.

I would like to welcome our witnesses.

We have Vicky Eatrides, the chairperson and CEO of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. She is joined by Scott Hutton, vice-president, consumer, analytics and strategy; Scott Shortliffe, vice-president, broadcasting; and Rachelle Frenette, general counsel and executive director, legal services.

With that, Ms. Eatrides, you have five minutes for opening remarks. Thank you.

[Vicky Eatrides, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission]

Good afternoon, and thank you so much for having us.

Before we begin, I would like to acknowledge that we are gathered on the traditional unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinabe people.

I'm joined today by colleagues who have already been introduced. We have Scott and Scott, to make things easier, and our senior legal counsel, Rachelle Frenette. We are very pleased to be here as the committee studies Bill C-15.

Before we get into committee members' questions, perhaps we could start with a brief overview of the CRTC and the work we are doing for Canadians.

As you know, the CRTC is an independent quasi-judicial tribunal that regulates the Canadian communications sector in the public interest. We hold public consultations on telecommunications and broadcasting matters and make decisions based on the public record.

The commission consists of nine members and we're supported by a team of expert staff that help us with decision-making.

I know that we are here to talk about Bill C-15, which makes an amendment to the Broadcasting Act, but let me begin by briefly touching on our other major line of work, which is telecommunications.

In meetings with Canadians across the country, we hear about how critical high-quality Internet and cellphone services are for employment, health care, education, connecting with loved ones and so much more. We also hear about what happens when there is a lack of meaningful connectivity, and those stories are troubling.

In 2019, the CRTC launched a broadband fund as part of a government-wide effort to help connect rural, remote and indigenous communities across Canada. Since then, we have allocated funding to projects delivering Internet and cellphone services to over 54,000 homes in over 320 communities. These projects connect critical institutions like schools, health care facilities and community centres that people rely on every single day.

The CRTC's work to improve connectivity goes hand in hand with our efforts to strengthen competition and to make telecom services more affordable. One way we are helping to provide Canadians with more choice is by allowing competitors to sell plans using the networks of the large telecommunications companies. For Internet services, more than a dozen companies are using the access granted by our framework to provide competitive plans to Canadians. For cellphone services, competitors have expanded into 88 communities across seven provinces. What does that mean? It means that there is more choice for Canadians when they are looking for Internet and cellphone plans.

We are also seeing some positive movement on prices. For example, according to StatsCan, prices for cellphone services decreased by over 37% over the past four years. At the same time, we know that networks are expensive to build and to maintain, so we put measures in place to make sure that companies keep investing.

Making sure that Canadians have access to high-quality networks and to choice is one part of the equation. The other part is making sure that we can easily find those choices and switch to plans that meet our needs.

Last year, we launched a consumer protections action plan to help protect and empower Canadians. To bring that plan to life, we initiated public proceedings dealing with everything from preventing bill shock and limiting fees to making it easier to compare offers and switch plans. We will issue those decisions in the weeks and months to come, so stay tuned.

So that is some of our work in telecommunications.

Now, let me share what we're doing in broadcasting.

As you know, through the modernized Online Streaming Act, Parliament mandated us to modernize Canada's broadcasting framework and ensure that online streaming services make meaningful contributions to Canadian and indigenous content.

Overhauling a decades-old regulatory framework is no small task. The changes that are required are substantial and complex.

One of our first key decisions required online streaming services to direct funding to areas of immediate need, such as local news on radio and television, French-language content, and indigenous content.

We're continuing to take action in areas that matter to Canadians. For example, we've issued decisions to support local news on radio and television, and we will be issuing more major decisions in the coming months.

To wrap up, we're doing work on multiple fronts. We're not finished yet, but we're helping to make real, meaningful progress.

More Canadians now have access to high-speed Internet. There are more choices when it comes to cellphone services. Stronger consumer protections are coming. As well, the broadcasting system is evolving to better reflect the Canada of today and tomorrow.

Thanks again.

[The Chair, Liberal, Karina Gould]

Thank you, Ms. Eatrides.

We will begin with six minutes from Ms. Thomas, please.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Thank you.

Ms. Eatrides, I'm curious with regard to Bill C-11. It's been on your plate for just about two years now. I'm curious as to how much has been spent on preparing for the implementation of Bill C-11.

[Vicky Eatrides]

Let me share very briefly what we've been doing on Bill C-11—

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

It's okay. I'm not asking for an outline of things that have been done. I'm just asking for the monetary amount that has been spent.

[Vicky Eatrides]

Okay. I'm not sure that we have those numbers at our fingertips.

We would be able to get that figure to you.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Okay. That figure can be sent over to the committee, then.

[Vicky Eatrides]

Absolutely.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Perfect. Thank you very much.

With regard to Bill C-11 and Bill C-18, I'm curious as to what type of analysis has been done since their passing in terms of their impact on subscription prices, reduced service options, and content being blocked or downgraded. What type of analysis has the CRTC done in terms of the impacts of Bill C-11 and Bill C-18 on these things?

[Vicky Eatrides]

Bill C-11 gave us a mandate to modernize the act, and we've been taking a number of steps to do that. We have put in place the contributions bringing in the online streamers, which was what we were asked to do by Parliament. We have also put in place a new definition for Canadian content, and we're taking measures to support—

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

I'm just going to take you back to my question.

In your opening statement, you used the word “choice” multiple times and referred to being on the side of the consumer multiple times. If that truly is the desire of the CRTC, then I would imagine that some analysis has been done with regard to Bill C-18 and Bill C-11 and making things more affordable. Has that taken place?

[Vicky Eatrides]

Again, in terms of the mandate under the Online Streaming Act and putting that in place, what we've been asked to do is bring in the online streamers as broadcasters, which is what we've been working on, and that's why we have our initial base contributions decision. The work continues in terms of putting these measures in place.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Do you expect that consumer prices would go up or down based on Bill C-11?

[Vicky Eatrides]

Again, I would come back to our mandate, and our mandate is to ensure that online streamers are brought into the system and to ensure the other objectives of the act, which are to support Canadian and indigenous content. That's what we've been focused on.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

Okay. There is absolutely no care of the consumer whatsoever in the considerations and deliberations that take place at the CRTC.

[Vicky Eatrides]

Again, what we've been doing is holding public proceedings, which includes hearing from various consumer groups. I can tell you that in the context of the Canadian content hearing, we heard from 500 intervenors. We heard live from almost 80. We've heard a wide range of perspectives on this, and what we're putting in place is what Parliament has asked us to do.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

What's the number one benefit that you're hearing from consumers?

[Vicky Eatrides]

It's to ensure that we are supporting areas that are important, like local news, French content and indigenous content. That's what we're hearing in terms of what Canadians are asking for.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

What would be the number one drawback? What are they concerned about with the implementation of Bill C-11? You said you heard from 500 consumer groups. What's their top concern?

[Vicky Eatrides]

Again, it comes back to the issues we've been talking about. People are very focused on wanting to make sure we have support for things like news. We've heard a lot about the importance. People are concerned—as I think we all hear from Canadians—about the loss of news and that kind of content.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

In my office, I hear from quite a few people as well. I wouldn't know the exact number, but it would be well over 100. It would be in the thousands, actually, if I do that math correctly.

The top concerns I hear about are the protection of freedom, choice, speech and access to information. A second thing I hear a lot about is just consumer pricing. They're concerned that, with increased regulation, consumer pricing will go up. I'm surprised that neither of these were mentioned by you, and I'm curious as to why we're hearing conflicting things.

[Vicky Eatrides]

I would say that freedom of expression and the free flow of information are fundamental principles in the telecommunications work we do, and on the broadcasting side as well.

In terms of pricing on the broadcasting side, that's for private companies. We don't regulate the price of broadcasting.

[Rachael Thomas, Conservative, Lethbridge, AB]

No. However, your regulation does cause prices to go up.