General |
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Why is there a
CRTC? |
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Does the CRTC
have to answer to anybody? |
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Where can I
find out more about the CRTC? |
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Where's
Industry Canada's website? Canadian Heritage? Others? |
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How can I find
information on the CRTC website? |
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How do I
comment on CRTC policy, applications, or licence renewals? |
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Where do I find
out about upcoming public hearings so I can take part? |
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How do I apply
for a job as a Commissioner/summer student? |
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Where can I
find information about the CRTC Articling student program |
What about the Cost of Cable?
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What's
regulated and what's not? |
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Why can't
subscribers pay just for the channels they want? |
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Why can’t I
watch more American and other non-Canadian programs? |
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Are there
alternatives to cable? |
Broadcasting
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Why do we need
Canadian content? |
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How does a
song qualify as Canadian? |
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How does
television programming qualify as Canadian? |
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Where can I
get a list of radio or TV stations? |
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How can I
start my own radio or television service on the Internet? |
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What can we do
about offensive content on the Internet? |
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How do I
express my concerns about programming on radio or TV? |
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• |
Can't you do
anything about those logos on television? |
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Why do radio
or TV ads seem so much louder than the programs? |
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What can I do
about false and misleading ads? |
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Why is my
favourite U.S. TV program showing Canadian commercials? |
| • |
When I watch
my television or listen to my radio, I get a fuzzy picture or lots of
static. What can I do? |
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Where can I find Orders in Council related to the CRTC? |
| • |
How are call signs
chosen? Does the CRTC require
stations to identify themselves at regular intervals and are stations
still required to identify themselves by "C" call letters? |
Telecommunications
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• |
What are my
telephone company's duties and obligations to me and what are my
rights and responsibilities as their customer? |
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• |
I don't want
telemarketers to call or fax my home or business. What can I do? |
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• |
How come when
I call my friend in the next town it's long distance. But for someone
else near by, it's a local call? |
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• |
Somebody
switched my long-distance carrier without my permission! |
|
• |
My telephone
is going to be disconnected! I need help fast! |
|
• |
Sometimes,
when I pick up the telephone there's silence on the other end of the
line; I hear some awful screechy sounds: or, I hear something like a
pre-recorded message, but it won't let me hang up! |
|
• |
Is there
anything I can do about signal problems or other problems regarding
my telephone service? |
|
• |
How can I start a public pay-phone service? |
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• |
Cellular
(Wireless) Telephone Services - What is (or is not) regulated by the
CRTC? |
| • |
Is my Internet
Service Provider regulated by the CRTC? |
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• |
Where can I find Orders in Council related to the CRTC? |
General |
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Q. |
Why is there a CRTC? |
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A. |
Parliament has given the CRTC the job of regulating and supervising
the broadcasting and telecommunications systems in Canada. Read
About the CRTC for information about the
Commission and its mandate.
top
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Q. |
Does the CRTC have to
answer to anybody? |
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A. |
The CRTC is independent of government in its licensing and regulatory
functions. It reports to Parliament through the Minister of Heritage
Canada.
top
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Q. |
Where can I find out more about the CRTC? |
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A. |
top
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Q. |
Where is Industry Canada’s web site? Canadian Heritage?
Others? |
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A. |
Try the CRTC's Links. It includes links to a
number of industry associations and other sites of interest.
top
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Q. |
How can I find information on the CRTC website? |
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A. |
The CRTC has a search screen that should
make it easy to find the precise information you need. For tips on
searching, click the help button on each search page.
top
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Q. |
How do I comment on CRTC policy, applications, or licence
renewals? |
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A. |
You can find useful general information in the
Public Participation section of the CRTC
website. You may also want to read How to
Participate in a CRTC Public Process (Broadcasting).
top
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Q. |
Where do I find out about upcoming public hearings so I can
take part? |
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A. |
All current notices of public hearings are available in the
Public Proceedings section of the CRTC
website.
top
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Q. |
How do I apply for a job as a Commissioner/summer student? |
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A. |
Appointment to the CRTC is by Order-in-Council. The Privy Council
Office undertakes nomination or selection of CRTC members. For
further information, please contact: Senior Personnel Secretariat,
Privy Council Office, Room 106, 59 Sparks Street, Ottawa, Ontario,
K1A 0A3. Telephone: (613) 957-5330. For summer jobs, students must
apply through their Human Resources Officers at their universities or
colleges OR via jobs.gc.ca.
top
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Q |
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Where can I find information about the CRTC
Articling student program |
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A. |
Read this for more information.
top
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What about the Cost of Cable? |
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Q. |
What's regulated and what's not? |
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A. |
Read Competition and the Cost of Cable
for information. top
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|
Q. |
Why can't subscribers pay just for the channels they want? |
| |
A. |
By offering the programming services in packages,
cable companies are able to ensure a wider audience base for each
service and reduce individual fees. If cable customers were to select
and receive only the channels they wanted, they might have to pay as
much, or more, for one channel as they now pay for an entire package
of programming.
top
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Q. |
Why can’t I watch more American and other non-Canadian programs? |
| |
A. |
The CRTC is committed to giving Canadians access to a
wide variety of broadcasting services, both foreign and Canadian.
Part of the CRTC's mandate, however, is to ensure that cable
companies, direct-to-home (DTH) satellite services (i.e. Bell
ExpressVu and StarChoice) and multipoint distribution systems (MDS)
such as Look TV, Image Communications, and Sky Cable, give priority
to the carriage of Canadian television signals. Read
Non-Canadian Programming Services for
more information.
top
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Q. |
Are there alternatives to cable? |
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A. |
Read Competition - What are the Options?
top
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Broadcasting |
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Q. |
Why do we need Canadian content? |
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A. |
Canadian content is the cornerstone of Canada's Broadcasting Act.
Read Canadian Content for more
information. top
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Q. |
How does a song qualify as Canadian? |
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A. |
Read the CRTC factsheet about the MAPL
system. top
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Q. |
How does television programming qualify as Canadian? |
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A. |
Read the CRTC factsheet about Canadian
Content Program Recognition.
top
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Q. |
Where can I get a list of radio or TV stations? |
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A. |
The CRTC does not maintain or publish lists of radio and television
stations. Neither does Industry Canada. However, commercial
publishing houses produce some directories that may be helpful. One
or more of the following publications should be available in your
local library: Directories
Bowden's Media Directory
Toronto: Bowden's Information Services
http://www.bowdens.com
Broadcast Dialogue
Brechin, ON: Christensen Communications Ltd.
ISSN: 1480-9443
http://www.broadcastdialogue.com
Broadcaster ...Directory
Toronto: Business Information Group
ISSN: 0008-3038
http://www.broadcastermagazine.com
Matthews CATV Directory
Toronto: Canadian Corporate News
ISSN: 1202-5674
http://w5d.ccnmatthews.com/scripts/productsServices.asp
Matthews Media Directory
Toronto: Canadian Corporate News
ISSN: 1193-9575
http://w5d.ccnmatthews.com/scripts/productsServices.asp
top
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Q. |
How can I start my own radio or television service on the
Internet? |
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A. |
The CRTC does not regulate the Internet. Read the 1999 May 17 News
Release CRTC won't regulate
the Internet for more information.
top
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Q. |
What can we do about offensive content on the Internet? |
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A. |
The Government of Canada has issued a booklet
Illegal and
Offensive Content on the Internet to promote safe, wise and
responsible Internet use. The CRTC does not regulate content on the
Internet.
top
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Q. |
How do I express my concerns about programming on radio or
TV? |
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A. |
Read How to File a Broadcasting Complaint
for step-by-step information. top
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Q. |
Can’t you do anything about those logos on television? |
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A. |
This practice can be compared to station identification. It reminds
the viewer of the channel being viewed. This can be critical to a
station considering the large number of stations now available.
There's nothing in the CRTC's Television Regulations that prohibit
the superimposition of logos or scrolled messages about upcoming
programs. In fact, each broadcaster is responsible for its own
decision in this regard. You may want to express your concerns to the
station directly, noting the program(s) containing the logo or
message that offends you.
top
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Q. |
Why do radio or TV ads seem so much louder than the programs? |
| |
A. |
The CRTC has prepared a fact sheet that talks about the technical and
psychological factors related to the
loudness of commercials.
top
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Q. |
What can I do about false and misleading ads? |
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A. |
The Fair Business Practices Branch of the Competition Bureau
investigates complaints about false and misleading ads. The Branch
can be reached toll-free at 1-800-348-5358 or through its
website.
Consumers may also want to contact the product manufacturer and their
local Better Business Bureau.
The CRTC does not regulate false and misleading ads..
top
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Q. |
Why is my favourite U.S. TV show showing Canadian
commercials? |
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A. |
You are describing a practice known as signal substitution. For more
information about this practice and why it is important to the
Canadian broadcasting industry, read
Substituting TV Programs.
top
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|
Q. |
When I watch my television or listen to my radio, I get a
fuzzy picture or lots of static. What can I do? |
| |
A. |
First of all, make sure your receiving equipment is operating
properly. If you are a customer of a cable company, direct-to-home
(DTH) satellite service provider (i.e. Bell ExpressVu or StarChoice)
or multipoint distribution system (MDS) such as Look TV, Image
Communications or Sky Cable or other kind of service provider, you
should contact the company itself about poor signal quality. If you
receive your signals over-the-air, contact the TV and radio stations
involved directly.
For more information, read the Consumer Information section of
Industry Canada's
website.
top
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Q. |
Where can I find Orders in Council related to the CRTC? |
| |
A. |
You can search for Orders in Council at the website of the Privy
Council Office or you can
look for published Orders in Council in Part II of the Canada
Gazette
top
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|
Q. |
How are call signs chosen? Does the CRTC require stations to identify themselves at regular
intervals and are stations still required to identify themselves by
"C" call letters? |
| |
A. |
The CRTC is not involved in the assignment of call letters for
stations. Industry Canada is the department responsible for the
technical standards for broadcasting and telecommunications in
Canada. That department assigns call signs according to precise
guidelines established by international agreement. For more
information, you can contact Industry Canada directly via
(1-800-O-CANADA) or look up their website at
www.ic.gc.ca. top
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Telecommunications |
|
Q. |
What are my telephone company’s duties and obligations to me
and what are my rights and responsibilities as their customer? |
| |
A. |
Read Your Contract with the Telephone
Company for details.
top
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|
Q. |
I don't want telemarketers to call or fax my home or
business. What can I do? |
| |
A. |
Read the CRTC's factsheet about
Telemarketing for information about what you can do, current
telemarketing rules and details about a CRTC public process to review
the effectiveness of those rules. top
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Q. |
How come when I call my friend in the next town it’s long
distance. But for someone else near by, it’s a local call? |
| |
A. |
Read Long-Distance Charges and Neighbouring
Towns, Municipalities, etc, for information.
top
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Q. |
Somebody switched my long-distance carrier without my
permission! |
| |
A. |
What you have described is a practice called "slamming" - the
unauthorized switching of a long distance telephone company customer
from one company to another. If you think you've been "slammed" and
want to find out who is actually providing you with long distance
service, please call 1-700-555-4141 from your own telephone.
Read Changing Telephone Service
Providers for more information.
top
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Q. |
My telephone is going to be disconnected! I need help fast!! |
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A. |
First, contact your telephone company and make reasonable
arrangements that both you and the telephone company can agree on. If
you can't come up with suitable arrangements and you're still under
threat of disconnection - call the CRTC at 1-877-249-2782.
You may have some help from a recent CRTC decision if your
telephone company is an ILEC (incumbent local exchange carrier).
ILECs are the telephone companies that were the original monopoly
telephone company in each region (e.g. MTS in Manitoba, Bell Canada
in most of Ontario and Quebec) or a successor company (e.g. Aliant in
the Maritimes and Newfoundland, TELUS in most of Alberta and British
Columbia). In its decision, the CRTC said that ILECs are not allowed
to suspend or terminate tariffed services, including local service,
when a consumer does not pay non-tariffed charges such as long
distance charges (see Telecom Decision CRTC
2004-31 for
additional information). If your telephone company is an ILEC and you
pay only part of your bill (for example, everything but long distance
charges) your ILEC is not allowed to suspend or terminate your
undisputed tariffed services, including local service, as long as you
have paid enough to cover all of their tariffed charges. In this
situation, the ILECs may use other legal means to try to recover the
debt they believe is owing, but they cannot cut off your local
service.
top
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|
Q. |
Sometimes, when I pick up the telephone there’s silence on
the other end of the line; I hear some awful screechy sounds: or, I
hear something like a pre-recorded message, but it won’t let me hang
up! |
| |
A. |
You are describing one of the following situations:
- Dead-air call;
- Fax call on a voice line;
- ADAD (Automatic Dialing-announcing Devices).
Information regarding each of the above can be found at the
beginning of your telephone directory under Privacy Issues.
Read the CRTC's factsheet about
Telemarketing for information about the CRTC's public process on
these and other related issues.
top
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|
Q. |
Is there anything I can do about signal problems or other
problems regarding my telephone service? |
| |
A. |
The first thing to do is contact your telephone company. In most
cases, problems can be resolved most quickly by dealing directly with
the company.
If you're not satisfied with the results, read
How to File a Telecom Complaint.
top
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|
Q. |
How can I start a public pay-phone service? |
| |
A. |
Read the CRTC's news release of 1999 April 26
CRTC Alerts Payphone Service
Providers for information. top
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|
Q. |
Cellular (Wireless) Telephone Services - What is (or is not)
regulated by the CRTC? |
| |
A. |
Read Cellular (Wireless) Telephone
Services for information. top
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|
Q. |
Is my Internet Service Provider regulated by the CRTC? |
| |
A. |
Read Internet for information.
top |
|
Q. |
Where can I find Orders in Council related to the CRTC? |
| |
A. |
You can search for Orders in Council at the website of the Privy
Council Office or you can
look for published Orders in Council in Part II of the Canada
Gazette
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