| |
Telecom Public Notice CRTC 98-5
|
| |
Ottawa, 6 March 1998 |
| |
SERVICE TO HIGH-COST SERVING AREAS - AMENDMENT TO PN
97-42
|
| |
Reference: 8665-C12-04/97 |
| |
On 18 December 1997, the Commission issued
Service to High-Cost Serving Areas, Telecom Public Notice CRTC
97-42 (PN 97-42), wherein the Commission
stated its intention to conduct regional consultations in a number of
specified locations throughout Canada and invited the telephone companies
to make proposals to provide video links to enhance the ability of the
public to participate at these regional consultations. The Commission
stated that it would issue further procedures no later than 6 March 1998 to
reflect any such proposed video links. |
| |
In response to PN
97-42, the British Columbia Old Age
Pensioners' Organization, Council of Senior Citizens' Organizations of
British Columbia, Federated Anti-Poverty Groups of British Columbia, Senior
Citizens' Association of British Columbia, West End Seniors' Network, End
Legislated Poverty, British Columbia Coalition for Information Access and
Tenants Rights Action Coalition (BCOAPO et al.) and Tatlayoko Think Tank
(TTT) submitted that it would not be appropriate to conduct a regional
consultation at Prince Rupert primarily because Prince Rupert is difficult
and expensive to access by subscribers, other than those in the immediate
area. BCOAPO et al. suggested Prince George, instead of Prince Rupert,
because it is a transportation, communications and service centre that
services central and northern British Columbia. In the alternative, BCOAPO
et al. suggested Kamloops or Kelowna. TTT suggested a small town in the
interior of British Columbia, such as Willliams Lake. |
| |
Prince Rupert City Telephones submitted that
concerns regarding difficulty of access reinforce the Commission's choice
of Prince Rupert as an appropriate location for regional consultations in
this proceeding. |
| |
The Government of Saskatchewan proposed that
the Commission hold a regional consultation in Prince Albert in order to
consider the interests of rural and remote residents in Saskatchewan. |
| |
In addition to the above noted comments, the Commission
received comments from a number of registered parties and other persons
supporting changes to the British Columbia and Prairies locations of the
proposed regional consultations. |
| |
As a result of comments received and taking
into consideration the proposals for video links by some of the telephone
companies, the Commission has decided to add a regional consultation in
Prince Albert and to change the location of the regional consultation in
British Columbia from Prince Rupert to Prince George, with a video link to
that site from Prince Rupert. |
| |
The dates and locations of the regional consultations and
the associated video conferencing links are set out in paragraphs 12 and 13
of this Public Notice. |
| |
The Commission appreciates the support
provided by those telephone companies incurring the expense of providing
video conferencing links. Recognizing that these links are expensive to
install, the Commission encourages persons wishing to make personal
representations to take advantage of video conferencing locations rather
than travelling to a more distant regional consultation site. |
| |
NOTIFICATION OF SUBSCRIBERS |
| |
Paragraph 29 of PN 97-42
is replaced with the following: |
| |
The telephone companies are to mail billing
inserts notifying their subscribers that pursuant to the Commission's
direction: (i) all federally-regulated telephone companies in Canada will
file proposals for service to HCSAs by 1 May 1998; (ii) these proposals
will be available for public inspection during normal business hours at the
business offices of the respective telephone companies and the offices of
the Commission; (iii) subscribers may provide comments by writing to the
Commission by 30 January 1999 and/or by making representations at regional
consultations; (iv) persons wishing to make personal representations are
encouraged to appear at the closest regional consultation or associated
video conferencing locations; (v) persons wishing to participate at a
regional consultation or video conferencing location are to notify the
Commission two weeks prior to the applicable date; (vi) persons intending
to participate at a regional consultation or video conference who require
English or French language translation services or who have special needs
are requested to advise the Commission of these requirements at the time
that they give notice of their intention to participate. Billing inserts
are to specify the dates and locations of the regional consultations and
video conferencing links in the subscriber's province, territory or region,
and are to be received by subscribers no later than 1 May 1998. |
| |
OTHER MATTERS |
| |
The Commission notes that it has placed on the
public record of this proceeding a document entitled "Securing Universal
Telecommunications Service in Competitive Markets", by Ronald G. Choura, of
Michigan State University and Public Service Commission, which document
Mr. Choura recently presented to Commission staff. The topic of the
presentation was the experience in the United States relating to universal
service in a competitive telecommunications marketplace. This document may
be examined during normal business hours at the CRTC offices listed in
paragraph 31 of PN 97-42. |
| |
In response to a request from Stentor Resource
Centre Inc. (Stentor), the Commission hereby makes Stentor a party to the
proceeding. |
| |
DATES AND LOCATIONS OF REGIONAL CONSULTATIONS |
| |
The Commission will conduct two regional
consultations at each date and location set out below, one starting at 9:00
a.m. and a second starting at 6:30 p.m., with the exception of Iqaluit
where the starting times will be 10:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.: |
| |
(1) Whitehorse, Yukon, at the Westmark Whitehorse (hotel),
Second Ave. and Wood St., on 26 May 1998; |
| |
(2) Prince George, British Columbia, at the Simon Fraser
Inn, 600 Quebec Street, on 28 May 1998; |
| |
(3) Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, at the Marlboro Inn,
67-13th Street E., on 2 June 1998; |
| |
(4) Grande Prairie, Alberta, at the Grande
Prairie Inn, 11633 Clairmont Rd., on 4 June 1998; |
| |
(5) Timmins, Ontario, at the Northern College
of Applied Arts and Technology, Porcupine Campus, Lecture Room D118, on 8
June 1998; |
| |
(6) Thompson, Manitoba at the Burntwood Hotel,
146 Selkirk Ave., on 10 June 1998; |
| |
(7) Val d'Or, Quebec, at the Hôtel Confortel, 1001-3ième
avenue est, on 18 June 1998; |
| |
(8) Deer Lake, Newfoundland, at the Deer Lake
Motel, (Trans-Canada Highway), on 22 June 1998; and |
| |
(9) Iqaluit, Northwest Territories, at the Navigator Inn,
on 25 June 1998. |
| |
LOCATIONS OF VIDEO LINKS |
| |
Location of the video conference sites associated with the
regional consultations listed in paragraph 12 above: |
| |
(1) for Whitehorse, at: |
| |
(a) Phoenix Theatre
5319 - 50th Avenue
Fort Nelson, Yukon |
| |
(b) Triple J Hotel
5th Avenue & Queen St.
Dawson City, Yukon |
| |
(c) Belvedere Hotel
609 Frank Trail
Watson Lake, Yukon |
| |
(d) Tourism Convention Centre
Council Chambers
Haines Junction, Yukon |
| |
(e) Old Crow Community Centre
Old Crow, Yukon |
| |
(2) for Prince George, at: |
| |
(a) Coast Plaza Hotel
1733 Comox Street
Vancouver, B.C. |
| |
(b) Coast Prince Rupert Hotel
118 6th Street
Prince Rupert, B.C. |
| |
(3) for Prince Albert, at: |
| |
(a) 410 - 22nd Street East
5th Floor, 5A
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan |
| |
(b) 2nd Floor
2121Saskatchewan Drive
Regina, Saskatchewan |
| |
(c) 1831 North Service Road West
SaskTel Service Centre
Swift Current, Saskatchewan |
| |
(d) 70 - 1st Avenue North, Main Floor
Yorkton, Saskatchewan |
| |
(4) for Grande Prairie, at: |
| |
(a) TELUS Tower
Main Level
411 1st Street, S.E.
Calgary, Alberta |
| |
(b) TELUS Tower
Plaza Level
10020 100th Street
Edmonton, Alberta |
| |
(5) for Timmins, at: |
| |
(a) Northern College of Applied Arts
and Technology
Haileybury Campus
640 Latchford Street
Haileybury, Ontario |
| |
(b) Collège Boréal
Kapuskasing Campus
3 Auroa Avenue
Kapuskasing, Ontario |
| |
(c) Northern College of Applied Arts and Technology
Kirkland Lake Campus
140 Gov't Road E.
Kirkland Lake, Ontario |
| |
(d) Château Laurier
Burgundy Room
1 Rideau Street
Ottawa, Ontario |
| |
(e) Toronto Hilton
Varley Room
145 Richmond Street W.
Toronto, Ontario |
| |
(f) Ontario Realty Board Room 5 First Street
Moosonee, Ontario |
| |
(g) Temagami Welcome Centre
Lakeshore Road
Temagami, Ontario |
| |
(h) Collège Boréal
64 - 9th Ave
Hearst, Ontario |
| |
(6) for Thompson, at: |
| |
MTS Video Conferencing Centre,
360 Main Street
Winnipeg, Manitoba |
| |
(7) for Val d'Or, at: |
| |
(a) Hôtel Rimouski/Centre des congrès
225 boul. Réné-Lepage Est
Rimouski, Quebec |
| |
(b) Auberge des Commandants
178, de la Reine
Gaspé, Quebec |
| |
(c) Hôtel le Manoir
8, rue Cabor
Baie-Comeau, Quebec |
| |
(d) Hôtel Motel Sept-Îles
451, rue Arnaud
Sept-Îles, Quebec |
| |
(e) QuébecTel's premises
403, boul. Vachon Sud
Sainte-Marie, Quebec |
| |
(f) Hôtel le Georgesville
300, 118e rue
Saint-Georges, Quebec |
| |
(g) Board of Trade of
Metropolitan Montréal
5 Place Ville-Marie
Niveau Plaza
Montréal, Quebec |
| |
(h) Quebec Hilton
Bélair Room
1100 René-Lévesque Blvd E.
Quebec City, Quebec |
| |
(i) Centre culturel Larochelle, St-Grégoire
4000, boul. Port-Royal
secteur St-Grégoire
Ville de Bécancour, Quebec |
| |
(j) Centre communautaire de Chisasibi
Chisasibi, Quebec |
| |
(k) L'Hôtel Le Montagnais
1080 boul. Talbot
Chicoutimi, Quebec |
| |
(8) for Deer Lake, at: |
| |
(a) Battery Hotel and Suites
Gallery Room
100 Signal Hill Road
St. John's, Newfoundland |
| |
(b) The Southeast Healthcare Corp.
135 MacBeath
Moncton, New Brunswick |
| |
(9) for Iqaluit, at: |
| |
(a) Prince of Wales Heritage Centre
Yellowknife, NWT |
| |
(b) Arctic Islands Lodge
Northwest Passage Room
Cambridge Bay, NWT |
| |
(c) Ptarmigan Inn
10J Gagnier
Hay River, NWT |
| |
(d) Mackenzie Hotel
125 Mackenzie Road
Inuvik, NWT |
| |
(e) Sinniktarvik Hotel
Rankin Inlet, NWT |
| |
This document is available in alternative format upon
request. |
| |
Laura M. Talbot-Allan
Secretary General |