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Opponents of aspects of differential pricing include the Competition Bureau. In a statement Wednesday, it called for the prohibition of differential pricing if the content provider compensates the service provider. (For example, if Spotify paid Vidéotron to eliminate data charges for streaming on its app alone, but customers still had to pay for streaming on other apps.)

“This type of differential pricing can harm competition, stifle innovation and increase prices for consumers,” the bureau stated.

Since only a small number of providers serve Canada’s market, the bureau concluded that any content they incentivize could attract critical mass and have a “significant” effect on the ability of non-affiliated content creators to compete based on merit.

Instead, it recommended the CRTC allow differential pricing as long as the Internet or wireless service provider doesn’t get a financial benefit from pushing certain content. (For example, if Vidéotron eliminated data charges for all music streaming no matter what app a customer used. Vidéotron currently operates under this model and is not compensated by music streaming apps, so as it stands the offering would be acceptable to the bureau.)

Other opponents include OpenMedia, an Internet advocacy group that argues any sort of data cap breaches Canadian telecom policy, and Pelmorex Media, the company that owns The Weather Network.