Annual Report: A Look at Canadian Service Providers' Compliance
As part of its yearly review, the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS) released a report focusing on the adherence of Canadian service providers to various compliance requirements. The report covers three primary categories: Public Awareness, Procedural Code, and Financial Requirements for the year 2024 compliance.
Public Awareness: Keeping Canadians Informed
To ensure Canadians know the CCTS's role and functions, all Participating Service Providers (PSPs) must comply with the Public Awareness Plan. This plan requires providers to actively raise awareness about the CCTS's services. Ways they can achieve this include:
– Presenting information on their websites.
– Directly notifying customers about the existence of the CCTS.
– Referring to the CCTS in billing statements.
– Including CCTS details in published directories.
In 2024, the CCTS conducted two rounds of audits involving a total of 65 providers. The first round occurred in January, comprising 19 randomly chosen PSPs that hadn’t been audited before and two non-compliant ones from earlier audits. The second round, held in September, covered 44 different PSPs. This group included 25 providers with the highest complaint rates from the previous year, 18 randomly selected PSPs, and one previously flagged non-compliant provider.
The audits revealed that 21 of the participants fully complied with the CCTS's requirements. Notable providers listed in this compliant group include Bell, Chatr (Rogers), Cogeco, and Freedom Mobile (Quebecor). Another 26 PSPs showed partial compliance but had websites lacking essential information. Unfortunately, 18 providers were found completely non-compliant, with no CCTS information available on their sites. The CCTS observed that all non-compliant providers were smaller PSPs. Following these audits, the CCTS collaborated with some providers to rectify deficiencies. As of now, 39 PSPs have reached full compliance, while five still have not.
Evaluating Procedural Code Compliance
The CCTS keeps a watchful eye on how PSPs manage the complaints process. This oversight aims to ensure providers stick to established standards and that customers experience prompt resolutions to their issues. From August 2024 to January 2025, the CCTS identified multiple violations related to complaint-handling procedures.
Nine PSPs did not implement necessary resolutions or follow through with investigation findings. These issues were addressed after follow-ups with the CCTS. In one troubling incident, a PSP went so far as to threaten a customer who had lodged a complaint with the CCTS. Fortunately, this situation was resolved through the CCTS's intervention.
Understanding the Financial Requirements
The CCTS operates as an independent body, offering its services to Canadians without charge. Its funding comes from a cost-recovery model supported by PSPs. To ensure the CCTS can maintain a free and efficient customer complaint resolution service, two financial obligations must be met by PSPs:
1. Providing necessary financial disclosures.
2. Paying applicable CCTS fees.
Should a PSP fail to meet these obligations, there is a chance they could breach their agreement. This breach might lead to termination of their participation in CCTS and further consequences by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).
In 2024, compliance was a concern, with 82 out of 299 service providers—about 27 percent—failing to submit their financial information to the CCTS.
If you wish to gain more insights into the CCTS's work or services, you can visit their official site at cctscprst.ca or call them toll-free at 1-888-221-1687.
This report highlights the ongoing effort to keep Canadians informed about their telecommunication services and ensure that service providers operate transparently and responsibly within the telecommunications landscape. Keeping an eye on these compliance metrics remains crucial for the health of the industry as providers are held accountable for their operations.
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