Dispute Procedures for Discretionary Services

Summary#

These are final regulations called Regulations Amending the Discretionary Services Regulations: SOR/2021-76. They update how disputes under the Discretionary Services Regulations must be handled by referring them to the procedures set out in the Commission’s bulletin. The regulations came into force on April 8, 2021.

What it does#

• Replaces paragraph 14(4)(a) of the Discretionary Services Regulations so that any dispute is to be resolved according to the procedural requirements in Broadcasting and Telecom Information Bulletin CRTC 2019-184 (the Commission’s guide on dispute procedures).
• In short: when a dispute arises under that part of the rules, the process described in the CRTC bulletin dated May 29, 2019 is the one to follow.

Who's affected#

• Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission licensees who offer discretionary (non-basic) TV services are the main group affected.
• Broadcasters, cable and satellite service providers, and other companies involved in carriage or access disputes under the discretionary-services rules will notice the change.
• Consumers are not directly regulated here, but viewers could be indirectly affected if dispute handling changes the timing or outcome of carriage disputes.

Why it matters#

• It makes clear which set of procedures must be used for disputes under the discretionary-services rules.
• That clarity can change expectations about how disputes are handled — for example, the steps, timelines and evidence the Commission will rely on.
• For companies, this affects how they prepare and present disputes. For the public, it could affect how quickly or smoothly carriage disputes are resolved and whether channels become available or unavailable during a dispute.