The Commission for Complaints for Telecom-Television Services (CCTS), Canada's telecom and television complaints watchdog, has released its annual compliance report, reiterating the need for service providers to enhance customer awareness regarding its services. According to the report, only 32 percent of the 65 providers audited in 2024 were fully compliant with public awareness requirements, a slight decrease from 35 percent in 2023, but a notable improvement from just 18 percent in 2022.
While many service providers included some information about the CCTS on their websites prior to the audits, the CCTS highlighted issues regarding the visibility and presentation of that information. Specifically, 40 percent of providers experienced "some" compliance issues, while 28 percent were found to have no compliance at all. These figures align with the results from the previous four years.
The CCTS actively engages with providers that fail to meet compliance standards, working with them to address and rectify the highlighted issues. In the past, the commission has resorted to publicly naming companies that consistently show non-compliance, and this remains a tool for enforcement. In more severe cases where a provider refuses to follow through on a resolution mandated by the CCTS, expulsion from membership is a possible outcome, which could subsequently involve the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and lead to financial penalties.
Janet Lo, the CCTS's assistant commissioner for legal, regulatory, and stakeholder affairs, emphasized the importance of providers informing their customers about the CCTS. She articulated this responsibility, stating that providers must communicate about the CCTS on their websites, customer bills, and during the escalation processes for complaints. Despite some progress in website information, customer feedback indicates that many are still not adequately informed by their providers.
The report also indicated that 43 percent of audited provider websites with search functions did not yield CCTS results, a decrease from the 52 percent recorded in the previous year. Moreover, all service providers previously flagged for repeated non-compliance regarding the search function requirement had successfully rectified this issue by 2024.
In a mid-year complaints report released in April, the CCTS reported handling a total of 11,909 complaints from customers between August 1, 2024, and January 31, 2025. This marked an increase of nearly 12 percent compared to the same period in the previous year. The surge in complaints was primarily attributed to issues related to wireless services, which comprised approximately half of all reported grievances, followed by internet-related concerns, accounting for just over one-quarter of total complaints.
In the April report, the CCTS confirmed nine instances during the six-month period in which service providers failed to implement resolutions they had agreed upon, or remedies mandated by the commission following an investigation. In response, the CCTS collaborated with these providers to ensure that necessary remedies were provided to the affected customers.
This report underscores the ongoing challenges faced by the CCTS in ensuring compliance among telecom and television service providers in Canada. Despite some improvements over the years, the findings reveal a persistent need for better communication and adherence to compliance standards.
