The federal government says it is launching a road map to boost competition and choice within Canada’s telecommunications sector.
The plan, announced late Wednesday by Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, is meant to break down regional barriers and promote cross-Canada competition in the internet and mobile services sector. It incorporates many policies already unveiled by the federal government and CRTC in recent years, while also outlining a strategy for future actions.
In the road map, the government said it is helping to give consumers more choices and make it easier for providers to access existing networks, or expand the infrastructure they own.
“As the global economy rapidly evolves, Canadians are increasingly relying on telecommunications services in their everyday lives,” said Joly in a statement.
“By improving competition, empowering consumers and supporting the expansion of networks and services, this road map truly puts Canadians first, through actions that will improve choice, transparency, prices and networks.”
The strategy highlights previously introduced regulations, such as those requiring large internet providers to open up their networks to competitors who can resell service to customers in exchange for a fee.
While the rules were initially touted as a way to help smaller companies compete, they also allow large companies to resell internet using their rivals’ networks outside their core regions. Both Telus Corp. and Bell Canada have begun offering fibre service to customers in each other’s dominant territory under the framework.
The policy applies only to existing fibre networks, and any new fibre built by the large telecoms can’t be made available to competitors until 2029.
The government also wants to help consumers take advantage of more affordable plans, noting cellular plan prices are down 49 per cent compared with 2019. It said the government “will spotlight” competitive offers on the market, make it easier to shop around and switch providers, and eliminate unnecessary fees.
Much of that work has been prioritized over the past year by the telecommunications regulator.
In June, the CRTC banned companies from charging fees to activate, change or cancel a plan — a move the government estimates will save consumers $100 million per year — and other new rules require providers to offer self‑serve options to switch or end plans and provide end-of-contract notifications.
Beginning next March, a new policy will also take effect requiring internet providers to disclose certain information via a standardized label when promoting their plans. They must advertise typical speeds associated with a plan during hours of peak usage and list the monthly price after any promotion ends.
Part of the road map appears to respond to industry concerns in recent years, with major players frequently highlighting the need to ensure regulatory policies create incentives for them to invest in new technologies and infrastructure.
The government said it will help companies deploy the latest fibre-optic networks, experiment with new technologies and strengthen access to connectivity in northern, rural and Indigenous communities.
It plans to release more 5G spectrum — the electromagnetic frequencies that enable smartphone communications — over the next three years, which will increase the total spectrum available for wireless services five-fold. Canadians can also expect increased satellite-based cellular and internet services as the technology continues to evolve, the document said.
Last week, a new report from U.K.-based Global System for Mobile Communications Association said the focus of Canada’s telecom policy should shift from lowering consumer prices to creating better conditions for companies to invest in their networks, citing that traditional revenues are plateauing and capital costs are expected to rise. The paper called for a “policy reset” that prioritizes affordable and predictable spectrum pricing, support for 5G and AI infrastructure such as data centres, and improved regulatory certainty.
Prime Minister Mark Carney has previously hinted at an eagerness to help the industry’s infrastructure needs. Last month, while speaking at the Canada Investment Summit in Toronto, Carney said the government planned to help “finance new nation-building infrastructure, including a sovereign broadband backbone that connects Canadians from coast to coast to coast with more direct and secure links to Europe and Asia.”
Last year’s federal budget also announced a new “dig once” policy approach, which is meant to encourage telecom companies to co-ordinate when installing fibre optic lines as part of the development of major projects such as energy transmission, railways, pipelines, and roads and highways.
The road map released this week said that strategy could result in significant savings for companies, with studies having shown that 75 to 90 per cent of the cost of a fibre project comes from construction and labour activity rather than the fibre itself.
Meanwhile, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada is consulting on changes to speed up wireless tower approvals, the road map noted.
It said the CRTC will also speed up how it handles disputes between providers, using tools such as mediation and administrative penalties to ensure companies meet their obligations.
The Canadian Telecommunications Association said Ottawa’s priority should be building on progress that has already seen prices come down for consumers “by ensuring that Canada’s telecommunications policies support both competition and the substantial private investment needed.”
“Measures that make it easier to invest and deploy advanced networks, including making more spectrum available for wireless services, implementing ‘dig once’ policies, streamlining wireless tower approvals, and reducing red tape and unnecessary regulatory burdens, are particularly important,” said spokesperson Nick Kyonka in a statement.
“Policies that balance competition with the need for sustainable investment are essential to delivering lasting benefits for consumers and supporting Canada’s broader economic ambitions.”
The government plans to monitor progress of its various goals through indicators such as prices, switching behaviour, network speeds, coverage and consumer complaints.
---
Sammy Hudes, The Canadian Press
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 29, 2026.
