April 2005 — Canada’s Minister of Industry appoints the Telecommunications Policy Review Panel to conduct a review of Canada’s telecommunications policy framework and to recommend how it could be modernized to “ensure that Canada has a strong, internationally competitive telecommunications industry that delivers world-class services for the benefit of all Canadians.”

March 2006 — The Panel delivers its report. It recommends the creation of a telecommunications consumer agency “with authority to resolve complaints from individual and small business retail customers of any telecommunications service provider.” The Panel recommends a “self-funding, independent, industry-established” model, with all service providers required to participate.

April 4, 2007 — The Government of Canada (Governor in Council) orders the creation of an independent, industry-funded consumer agency to resolve complaints from individual and
small business retail telecommunications customers, with the details to be approved by the telecommunications regulator, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

July 10, 2007 — The Commissioner for Complaints for Telecommunications Services (CCTS) is incorporated under federal corporations law as a not-for-profit corporation.

July 23, 2007 — CCTS begins operations. CCTS retains David McKendry, who formerly served as long-distance ombudsman, as CCTS’ interim Commissioner.

December 20, 2007 — Following public hearings, the CRTC issues Telecom Decision 2007-130, Establishment of an Independent Telecommunications Consumer Agency. In this Decision, the CRTC approves the structure and mandate of CCTS (subject to certain conditions being met). It orders all service providers with annual Canadian telecommunications revenues exceeding $10 million to participate, commencing February 1, 2008.

February 2008 — Two groups of service providers file applications with the CRTC seeking a review of certain aspects of Telecom Decision 2007-130.

May 30, 2008 — The CRTC modifies certain provisions of its original Decision. In particular, it determines that mandatory membership of service providers with over $10 million in revenues will remain in place for three years from the date of the original Decision, at which time a new proceeding will be held to review the mandatory membership requirement. Details…

June 6, 2008 — CCTS governance passes to the permanent independent Board of Directors
from the Provisional Board of Directors, which oversaw the start-up of CCTS.

August 2008 — CCTS hires Howard Maker as Canada’s first permanent telecommunications Complaints Commissioner.

January 2011 — CCTS’ accountability is ensured through regular public reviews held by the CRTC. The first such review was held in 2010, and in Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2011-46 the CRTC determined that all telecommunications services providers that provide services within CCTS’ mandate are required to be Participating Service Providers for a further five-year period.

November 2011 — The CRTC issues its first mandatory code of conduct for telecommunications service providers, the Deposit and Disconnection Code (Telecom Decision CRTC 2011-702), and CCTS is charged with administering it.

June 2013 — The CRTC issues the Wireless Code (Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2013-271), which CCTS begins to administer in December 2013 when the Code takes effect.

March 2015 — The CRTC rules that it will issue a Television Service Provider Code of Conduct (Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2015-104) and asks CCTS to administer it. CCTS agrees to do so.

October 2015 — The CRTC extends, on an interim basis, the requirement that all telecommunications services providers that provide services within the scope of the Corporation’s mandate be Participating Service Providers (Telecom Decision CRTC 2015-478). This is a temporary measure until the CRTC can complete its next review of the structure and mandate of CCTS.

January 2016 — The CRTC issues the Television Service Provider Code of Conduct (Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2016-1).

March 2016 — The CRTC issues its decision in the second accountability review of CCTS (Broadcasting and Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2016-102). Highlights of the decision include:

• CCTS will administer the Television Service Provider Code.
• All telecommunications service providers that offer services within the scope of CCTS’ mandate continue to be required to be Participating Service Providers.
• All licensed TV service providers and their affiliated/related exempt television service providers must become and remain Participating Service Providers.
• Telecommunications service providers that operate or are affiliated with a television service provider must become and remain Participating Service Providers with respect to their telecommunications activities.