Competition Bureau and CRTC Interface

OTTAWA, November 19, 1999 — The Competition Bureau and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) have agreed on a document which describes the authority of the CRTC under the Telecommunications and Broadcasting Acts and that of the Bureau regarding the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors.

This interface document follows discussions between the two organizations on their respective responsibilities and authorities. The purpose of this document is to provide industry stakeholders, including the general public, with greater clarity and certainty as to the overall regulatory and legal framework governing the telecommunications and broadcasting sectors which are undergoing rapid change and transition from detailed regulation to greater reliance on market forces.

The interface document deals with a range of competitive issues including access, merger review, competitive safeguards and various marketing practices. The document does not deal with matters, unrelated to competition, to which the CRTC's mandate extends.

Backgrounder

For more information, please contact:
Julie Hébert
819-953-4257