Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
www.crtc.gc.ca
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How to make a broadcasting complaint
You may have seen or heard something on TV or radio that you object to or find offensive, or you may have another type of complaint about your broadcasting service.
There is a program or ad that I don't think should be aired on TV or radio. Can the CRTC stop it?
The CRTC is not a board of censors, and can't tell broadcasters what they can air.
However, certain standards apply to the content of programs, and broadcasters are expected to comply with these standards.
Who do I contact?
How do you file a complaint most effectively?
Contact your broadcaster
The first step is to contact your broadcaster or service provider directly, and tell them your issue. Many complaints can be resolved at this stage.
Contact the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council
If you’re not satisfied with the broadcaster’s response, check to see if the broadcaster is a member of the Canadian Broadcast Standards Council (CBSC) – the complaints resolution body for private radio and TV stations and specialty services. If the broadcaster is a member, contact theCBSC directly.
Contact the Advertising Standards Council
If your complaint is about an ad on radio or TV, you can contact the Advertising Standards Council (ASC).
Contact the CRTC
You can also contact the CRTC with your complaint. All complaints must be made in writing. If you make a complaint by phone, you also need to send a written version.
- on-line form: Ask a question or make a complaint
- mail: Secretary General, CRTC, Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N2
- fax: 819-994-0218
- toll free telephone: 1-877-249-CRTC (2782)
- toll free TTY: 1-877-909-CRTC (2782)
- alternative formats: other formats that improve accessibility for people with disabilities
Accessibility issues: The CRTC deals with complaints about accessibility. For example, if you ask your broadcasting service provider to submit your bill in Braille and it doesn't do so, contact the company again. If you're still not satisfied, contact the CRTC.
CBSC member issues: If your complaint involves a member of the CBSC, the CRTC forwards your complaint to the organization right away, and lets you know that it has been forwarded.
Information you should include in your complaint
Make sure you include the following:
- your name, and an email or postal address
- a brief description of the problem and/or your concerns
- the radio or TV station’s name or call sign, and location
- the date, time, and name of any program or ad that prompted you to write
- the name and location of your service provider (i.e., cable company, satellite provider, or wireless distribution service), where applicable
Can I file a complaint any time?
A complaint should be filed as soon as possible following the broadcast in question and no later than 4 weeks following the broadcast.
Broadcasters hold onto tapes of their broadcasts for 4 weeks. If your complaint comes in more than 4 weeks after the program or ad aired, the tapes may no longer be available; so the CRTC may not be able to follow up fully on a complaint.
Tapes of programs
The CRTC gets programming tapes for its own use, but can't ask for tapes or transcripts for you.
If you want tapes or transcripts of a program, some broadcasters will sell them. However, they don't have to provide tapes or transcripts to the public.
Anonymous complaints
The CRTC doesn't follow up on anonymous complaints. Broadcasters and service providers have the right to know who makes a complaint, and what the complaint is. They also have the right to respond. You should feel free to file a complaint with the CRTC, without fear of retaliation from any company.
Privacy
If your complaint involves a member of the CBSC, the CRTC forwards it right away.
Otherwise, the CRTC lets you know that it intends to forward your complaint, with your name and address, to the company involved for a response. You then have 3 weeks to decide if you have any concerns about this process. You can contact the CRTC during those 3 weeks to stop the process. If you don't contact the CRTC, the process will continue and your complaint will be forwarded.
Once the file is closed, your name, your complaint, and the response to your complaint are kept in a file that can be read by the public. This information is used to assess the performance of the broadcaster at the time of licence renewal.
Under Canada's Privacy Act, you can ask that your correspondence not be made publicly accessible. But if you do, the CRTC may not be able to follow up on your complaint.
What happens to a complaint?
CRTC Client Services reviews your complaint. It may be answered there or it may be forwarded to one of the following:
- the CBSC, which starts by asking the company involved to respond
- the company involved, for direct resolution; sometimes no follow-up by the CRTC is necessary
- the company involved, asking it to respond to you (with a copy to the CRTC) within 3 weeks; CRTC staff review your concerns and the response to decide whether any regulatory action is warranted; if no more follow-up is needed, the CRTC may not contact you again
How long will it take to hear back from the CRTC?
You should receive a response from the CRTC within 10 working days after the complaint is received, even if it's just to let you know that your complaint has been forwarded to the company involved or to the CBSC.
The time it takes to completely resolve a complaint depends on its complexity.
What happens if the company doesn't answer my complaint?
If the company doesn't respond within 3 weeks, the CRTC sends a written reminder. If there's still no answer, the CRTC raises all unanswered complaints with the company when it applies to renew its licence.
If your complaint alleges that the company infringed the Broadcasting Act or CRTC policies or regulations, CRTC staff will decide if any further process is required and if any regulatory action is warranted.
Is there anything else I can do?
If you’re not satisfied with the response to a complaint handled by CRTC staff or by the CBSC, you can request in writing that the CRTC review the complete file and issue a decision.
A broadcaster's performance is reviewed when it applies to renew its licence, and you can submit comments or intervene at that time. See How to participate in a CRTC public proceeding.
Contact information
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CBSC |
Advertising Standards Canada |
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Les normes canadiennes de la publicité |
