Consultation about consumer protections in the event of a service outage or disruption
A sign language interpretation of the executive summary of the Notice of Consultation is available as a video playlist.
Current status: Closed
This consultation ran from September 4 to November 13, 2025. Read the “What we learned” section to find the comments that were submitted.
We sought your comments on additional consumer protections to help ensure Canadians have the information they need during an outage. These measures included ensuring customers receive meaningful and timely updates, as well as refunds or bill credits after an outage.
Who was the focus of this consultation
We were looking to learn from anyone with an interest in this topic, as well as those who may be affected more or differently than others by service outages.
This consultation was of interest to:
- public interest groups
- telecommunications service providers
- television service providers
- telecom industry experts
- accessibility groups
- rural and remote communities
- Indigenous peoples and First Nations
- advocates for emergency services and 9-1-1 access
- members of the public
Key topics for discussion
We invited you to provide your comments on:
- how Internet, phone, and television outages affect you
- what outage protection measures are necessary in Canada
- whether consumer protections should apply to both planned and unplanned outages
- what information you need from your telecommunications and broadcasting service provider in the event of an outage
- whether protections should include refunds or bill credits corresponding to the duration of the outage
- how telecommunications and broadcasting service providers can better communicate with consumers about planned outages
Read the Notice of Consultation for more details.
What we learned
- Interventions (comments we received online, by mail and by fax)
- CRTC Conversations (comments and online survey results)
Related information
- Date modified: