Telecom - Secretary General Letter addressed to Paul Beaudry (Cogeco Communications)
Gatineau, 1 August 2025
Reference: 1011-NOC2023-0092
BY EMAIL
Paul Beaudry
Vice-President, Regulatory and Government Affairs
Cogeco Communications
1, Place Ville Marie, Office 3301
Montréal (Québec) H3B 3B2
Subject: Cogeco Communications central office code request
Dear Paul Beaudry,
We are writing to inform you of the Commission’s decision regarding your 1 May 2025 request for the approval of additional central office (CO) codes to be assigned to Cogeco Communications (Cogeco). This request was made on the basis that the numbers are required to activate local number portability in new rural markets in Québec and Ontario.
On 30 October 2023, the Commission imposed an interim measure requiring Canadian carriers who require additional CO codes beyond planned levels to apply to both the Canadian Numbering Administrator (CNA) and the Commission, justifying their need for additional resources. This measure is designed to conserve and maximize the use of available telephone numbers.
Having considered your request for additional numbering resources against factors outlined in the interim measure, the Commission is satisfied that it is justified, on the basis that:
Cogeco intends to employ the requested CO codes to provide service in new markets in Québec and Ontario, which will help promote access to affordable telecommunications services for the Canadian population;
Cogeco is not in possession of unused numbering resources from previous assignments which can be used instead; and
The request will not significantly advance phone number exhaust.
Based on the above, the Commission grants Cogeco access to the additional CO codes in Québec and Ontario requested in your 1 May 2025 letter.
Further, the Commission notes the Canadian Steering Committee on Numbering’s recommendation that carriers promptly return unused thousands-blocks in a thousand-block pooling environment. All carriers are strongly encouraged to return any blocks that are not placed in service to the CNA once thousand-block pooling has been implemented.
If you have any questions, please contact Étienne Robelin, Manager, Numbering Resource Administration, Telecommunications Sector, at etienne.robelin@crtc.gc.ca or 873-354-4325.
Sincerely,
Originbal signed by Phil Charron on behalf of
Marc Morin
Secretary General
CC: Kelly T. Walsh, Program Manager, Canadian Numbering Administrator, kelly.walsh@cnac.ca
Suneil Kanjeekal, Director, Telecommunications, CRTC, suneil.kanjeekal@crtc.gc.ca
- Date modified: