The Governor in Council, pursuant to section 8 of the Telecommunications Act, proposes to make the annexed Order Issuing a Direction to the CRTC on Implementing the Canadian Telecommunications Policy Objectives to Promote Competition, Affordability, Consumer Interests and Innovation.

Interested persons may make representations concerning the proposed Order within 30 days after the date of publication of the notice in the Canada Gazette . All such representations must be addressed to the Director General, Telecommunications and Internet Policy Branch, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, 235 Queen Street, 10th Floor, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0H5 (ic.telecomsubmission-soumissiontelecom.ic@canada.ca).

Update – March 13, 2019: The official version of the notice and the Regulatory Impact Analysis Statement were published in Canada Gazette , Part I, Vol. 153, No. 10, on March 9, 2019, and can be viewed on the Canada Gazette website here.

Order Issuing a Direction to the CRTC on Implementing the Canadian Telecommunications Policy Objectives to Promote Competition, Affordability, Consumer Interests and Innovation

Direction

Principles

1. In exercising its powers and performing its duties under the Telecommunications Act, the Commission must implement the Canadian telecommunications policy objectives set out in section 7 of that Act, in accordance with the following:

the Commission, when relying on regulation, should consider how the measures used can promote competition, affordability, consumer interests and innovation, namely the extent to which they encourage all forms of competition, foster affordability and lower prices, particularly when there is potential for telecommunications service providers to exercise market power, ensure that affordable access to high quality telecommunications services is available, enhance and protect the rights of consumers in their relationships with telecommunications service providers, reduce barriers to entry and barriers to competition for new and smaller telecommunications service providers, enable innovation in telecommunications services, including new technologies and differentiated service offerings, and stimulate investment in research and development and in other intangible assets that support the offer and provision of telecommunications services; and the Commission, when relying on regulation, should demonstrate its compliance with this Order and should specify how the measures used can, as applicable, promote competition, affordability, consumer interests and innovation.

Effect of Order

Effect

2. This Order is binding on the Commission beginning on the day on which it comes into force and applies in respect of matters pending before the Commission on that day.

Coming into Force

Registration

3. This Order comes into force on the day on which it is registered.