Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
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How to Participate in a CRTC Public Process
You can participate in public proceedings by submitting your ideas, opinions and comments to the CRTC via an intervention. Your intervention helps the CRTC update its policies and evaluate:
- applications for new broadcasting licences, licence renewals and amendments and transfers of ownership and control
- tariff and other applications from telephone companies
- applications from the public, related to telephone services
- the performance of federally regulated broadcasting and telephone companies
How to submit your intervention
What information needs to be included:
- what file your intervention relates to (the application number, file number or notice of consultation number) as well as the applicant’s/licensee’s name
- whether you support or oppose the issue or application, or whether you simply want to provide a comment
- details to support your position
- whether you want to appear at a hearing, if a hearing is scheduled
Please note that section 26.(1) of the CRTC Rules of Practice and Procedure sets out the information required in your intervention.
When and how to submit your intervention
Submit your intervention before 5 p.m. Vancouver time (8 p.m. Ottawa time) on or before the deadline date announced in the notice of consultation or indicated on the All Public Proceedings Open for Comment page by using one of the following:
- online form: To fill out your online intervention, go to the All Public Proceedings Open for Comment page, choose a notice number, application number or file number, and then click on the “Submit” button.
- mail: Secretary General, CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N2
- fax: 819-994-0218
If you fax your intervention:
- number each paragraph
- include ***End of document***after the last paragraph to confirm that the document hasn’t been damaged during transmission
When submitting your intervention to the CRTC on an application, you must send a copy of your intervention to the applicant.
If a document is sent by electronic means, the sender must keep proof of the sending and the receipt of the document for 180 days after the day on which it is filed.
How to find applications and public proceedings
To find a public proceeding, you can consult:
- the Public Proceedings web page which lists current hearings, notices of consultation and Part 1 proceedings, as well as closed proceedings;
- the Canada Gazette;
- newspaper ads: in general circulation newspapers and community papers in affected areas.
What is a notice of consultation?
Many proceedings are announced by a notice of consultation. A notice will be issued for matters such as:
- notices of applications received (except applications processed under Part 1 proceedings or administratively);
- notices of hearings;
- calls for applications; and
- calls for comments on policy matters and proposed amendments to regulations
What is a Part 1 Proceeding?
A Part 1 Proceeding is initiated by an application filed by an applicant that is not the subject of a notice of consultation. For broadcasting, it includes applications for licence amendments, additions to list of eligible satellite services and undue preference applications. For telecom, it includes applications related to disputes between providers (e.g. network interconnection, unjust discrimination) and requests for forbearance.
In this type of proceeding:
- the applications are posted on the Commission website on the All Public Proceedings Open for Comment page;
- the public has 30 days to submit an intervention on the applications;
- the applicants then have 10 days to reply to the interventions;
- the Commission will examine all the written submissions and issue a decision.
What is a hearing?
A hearing, announced in a notice of consultation, is a meeting where people can voice their opinions on the topic. A hearing is often used for new broadcasting licence applications, major policy issues or amendments to its broadcasting and telecommunications regulations. You can send written comments, and you can make a request to speak at the hearing.
Make a request to speak at the hearing
If you want to speak at a hearing, you must make your request, in writing, when you submit your intervention and you must:
- include reasons why your intervention will not suffice and an appearance is necessary;
- indicate in your cover page if you require communications support such as assistive listening devices and sign-language interpretation, to be able to appear, so that we can make the necessary arrangements.
Keep in mind that not all public proceedings have a hearing, for example, Part 1 Proceedings. For more details, consult the notice of consultation for the proceeding that you are interested in.
Communications support
If you plan to attend a hearing and have not requested to speak and require communications support such as assistive listening devices and sign-language interpretation, let us know at least 20 days before the hearing begins so that we can make the necessary arrangements.
Privacy information about your comments
All the information that you provide as part of a public process becomes part of a publicly accessible file on the CRTC Web site. This information includes your personal information, such as your full name, email address, street address, telephone and fax number(s), and any other personal information you provide. It becomes part of the Web site whether you send it in by postal mail, fax, or through the CRTC's Web site. Information that is explicitly granted confidentiality will not be posted.
If you send documents through the Web site, they are posted on the CRTC Web exactly as you send them, including any personal information in them, in the official language and format in which they are received. Documents not received electronically are made available in PDF format.
The personal information you provide will be used and may be disclosed for the purpose for which the information was obtained or compiled by the CRTC, or for a use consistent with that purpose.
