New report warns CRTC has become gatekeeper of what Canadians see and say online

CALGARY, AB: The Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms announces its latest report, Mission creep: Is it time to abolish the CRTC?, authored by veteran journalist and public policy analyst Nigel Hannaford. The report examines the evolution of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), arguing that it has expanded far beyond its original mandate and now functions as an unaccountable regulator that undermines freedom of expression and true choice online and frustrates the entry of new players in the media market.

Originally established in 1968 to regulate broadcasting and promote Canadian content, the CRTC’s role has grown over decades to include telecommunications, cable, and now internet regulation. The report argues that this “mission creep” has transformed the CRTC into a powerful gatekeeper of online content, enabling government influence over what Canadians can see, share, and access online.

The report highlights the following key concerns:

• The expansion of the CRTC into internet regulation: Legislation such as the Online Streaming Act (C-11) and Online News Act (C-18) has extended the CRTC’s authority to streaming platforms, news distribution, and even individual content creators, allowing it to influence what content is promoted or suppressed online;
  
• The government’s influence over online content: The CRTC now has the ability to manipulate “discoverability,” enabling preferred content to be promoted while other content becomes harder to find, raising concerns about censorship and control over public discourse;
  
• Market distortion and increased costs: Regulatory requirements such as Canadian content quotas and financial levies on broadcasters and streaming platforms distort market incentives, reduce innovation, and ultimately increase costs for consumers;
  
• The protection of incumbents over consumers: CRTC policies shield dominant firms like Bell, Rogers, and Telus through foreign ownership limits, mandated infrastructure-sharing rules, and content subsidy requirements, creating significant barriers to entry for new competitors, reducing incentives to invest in new networks and limiting competition, innovation, and consumer choice;
  
• Inefficiency and lack of transparency: The report describes the CRTC as “secretive and slow,” noting a sharp decline in public hearings alongside a rise in private meetings with lobbyists, as well as falling productivity despite significant staff increases, raising serious concerns about accountability and effectiveness.

The report also highlights a broader legislative trend, noting that additional federal bills currently before Parliament would further expand government control over online communication and access to information, reinforcing concerns about censorship and state management of digital expression.

Report author Nigel Hannaford said, “In short, the CRTC must go. Canada does not need a government body to decide what content Canadians should discover, consume, or create.”

“Governments should not act as gatekeepers of expression or curators of information,” he added.

The report makes the following key recommendations:

• Abolish the CRTC: The report argues that the CRTC is outdated and unnecessary, and that its regulatory superstructure should be dismantled to restore freedom of expression and consumer choice;
  
• Repeal legislation empowering content control: Policymakers should repeal laws such as Bills C-11 and C-18 that extend government control over online content and broadcasting;
  
• Oppose further regulatory expansion: Parliament should reject additional legislation that would expand government authority over digital communication and online activity;
  
• Rely on market-based solutions: The report recommends allowing competition, consumer choice, and market forces to govern Canada’s telecommunications and digital sectors rather than centralized regulation.

To protect freedom of expression and access to information online, Canadians should call on policymakers to abolish the CRTC, repeal legislation that enables government control over online content, and support policies that promote a free and open internet.

For media inquiries, please contact media@jccf.ca.

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