Telus Corp. is challenging a federal order for a CRTC review on whether Canada’s Big 3 telecom providers should be able to access each other’s wholesale fibre internet networks.
Telus is asking a federal court to quash the cabinet order, accusing the federal government of trying to overturn an independent CRTC decision, improperly entertaining submissions from select internet service providers, and failing to adequately consult with the provinces.
The CRTC opened a consultation into the matter last month in response to cabinet’s direction.
A series of recent CRTC decisions allow smaller internet providers to sell their services through fibre networks owned by companies such as Telus and BCE Inc.
Telus says bigger companies should also be allowed to sell their services to customers using rivals’ networks, as long as their ability to do so is limited to regions outside of their traditional internet serving territories.
But Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne had said the government has concerns about the ability of smaller internet service providers to reach more Canadians. Stakeholders can submit their feedback on the matter to the CRTC until next Thursday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 6, 2024.
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