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Compliance and Enforcement and Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2021-9-1

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Reference: 2021-9

Ottawa, 29 June 2021

Public record: 1011-NOC2021-0009

Call for comments – Development of a network-level blocking framework to limit botnet traffic and strengthen Canadians’ online safety – Changes to procedure

  1. In Call for comments - Development of a network-level blocking framework to limit botnet traffic and strengthen Canadians’ online safety, Compliance and Enforcement and Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2021-9, 13 January 2021 (the notice), the Commission initiated a proceeding that called for comments on its proposal to develop a network-level blocking framework, including the question of whether it would be appropriate for the Commission to allow or mandate telecommunications service providers (TSPs) to block botnet traffic. The public record of the proceeding closed on 5 May 2021.
  2. Interventions by TSPs suggested they already have measures in place to mitigate botnet traffic and, in some cases, remediate associated malware infections.
  3. The public record would benefit from additional information about the nature, scope and conditions of the blocking performed to date by TSPs. As such, the Commission considers that it would be in the public interest to amend the notice in order to ensure that this information is included by TSPs in the public record through the inclusion of a request for information (RFI) process.
  4. Also, given that additional information would be placed on the record, parties should be granted an opportunity to make a final reply to responses to the RFIs, subject to certain conditions. 
  5. Accordingly, the Commission amends the notice to include additional information regarding the issuance of RFIs and the deadline for final replies to the responses. The following paragraphs are added between paragraph 55 and paragraph 56 of the notice:
    • In addition, Commission staff will issue requests for information (RFIs), by letter, to TSPs who filed interventions to the notice. They are to file their responses to the RFIs with the Commission in accordance with the deadline and other conditions that will be set out in the letter and in the RFIs, which will become part of the public record.
    • Only parties that have filed interventions may file a final reply to the information provided in response to the RFIs. The final replies must be limited to addressing new information added to the record through the RFI process and be limited to 5 pages. The final replies must be filed in accordance with section 26 of the Rules of Procedure,Footnote 1 within 15 days following the deadline set for responses to the RFIs. The accepted submission methods are listed in paragraph 55.

Secretary General

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