Source: https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2025/2025-225.htm
Gatineau, 4 September 2025
Public record: 1011-NOC2023-0039
Mandatory notification and reporting of major telecommunications service outages
Summary
Canadians need access to reliable, affordable, and high-quality communications services for every part of their daily lives.
Telecommunications service outages, even if they are short, are highly disruptive and can seriously impact Canadians’ day-to-day lives. All outages can have harmful effects on people, especially when they cannot connect to emergency services in times of need.
The Commission, along with telecommunications service providers (TSPs) and other government authorities, all play a role in preventing and managing telecommunications service outages. This includes federal departments like Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada and Public Safety Canada, as well as provincial, and territorial emergency management organizations, and 9-1-1 call centres.
This decision will help improve coordination whenever a major outage happens by requiring TSPs to notify the Commission and other government authorities within specific timeframes. These notifications will help ensure that relevant authorities are aware of outages so that they can help manage them and their impact on Canadians.
This decision also requires TSPs to file comprehensive post-outage reports detailing the causes, effects, and steps taken to resolve an outage. With this information, TSPs can learn from what happened to avoid similar outages in the future, Canadians can learn the cause of an outage and other facts, and governments can develop policies to help limit outages going forward.
Alongside this decision, the Commission is taking two additional actions as part of its broader strategy to help lessen the disruptive impact of service outages on Canadians. First, the Commission is gathering views on measures TSPs should take to help improve the resiliency of their networks and the reliability of their services through Telecom Notice of Consultation 2025-226. Second, the Commission is considering additional consumer protections when Canadians experience an outage with their Internet, cellphone, telephone, or television services through Telecom and Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2025-227. These protections include clearer communication from service providers during outages and refunds for lost services.
A table summarizing the notification and reporting requirements established in this decision is provided in the appendix to this decision. These requirements will become effective on 4 November 2025.
A summary of this decision is available in American Sign Language (ASL) and Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ) on the Commission’s website.
A dissenting opinion by Commissioner Bram Abramson is attached to this decision.
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