Meeting of the CRTC-OLMC discussion group

February 25, 2025

List of participants

Agenda – Meeting of the OLMC-CRTC Discussion Group

eMeeting with interpretation service provided by JR Languages

25 February 2025, 13:00 – 16:00 (EDT)

1. Welcome: Rachelle Frenette, CRTC Champion for Official Languages (5 minutes)
2. Updates: Process surrounding C-11 and regulatory plan (Scott Shortliffe, Executive Director, Broadcasting) (40 minutes)
3. Presentation: Upcoming processes – A new approach to funding public interest participation (Laura Leclerc, Legal Counsel) (30 minutes)
4. Presentation: Upcoming processes – Emergency alerts (Michael Crupi, Manager, Network Technology) (20 minutes)
5. Information: Elections and Caretaker convention – current operations (Scott Shortliffe, Executive Director, Broadcasting) (10 minutes)
6. Logistics: Discussion with members of the CRTC-OLMC Discussion Group on the format of meeting minutes (Rachelle Frenette, CRTC Champion for Official Languages) (20 minutes)
7. Updates: Overview of the OLMC Mobilization Team's progress (Kay Saicheua, Director, Strategic Planning and International Affairs) (10 minutes)
8. Round Table: Rachelle Frenette, CRTC Champion for Official Languages, and representatives of OLMCs (20 minutes)
9. Closing remarks: Rachelle Frenette, CRTC Champion for Official Languages (5 minutes)

1. Welcome

• Welcome from the CRTC Champion for Official Languages and land acknowledgment.
• The CRTC Champion for Official Languages pointed out that anything said during the meeting could not be attributed to the Commission, since CRTC employees cannot speak on its behalf.
• She also reminded everyone that this is not the appropriate place to comment on ongoing proceedings before the Commission.

2. Updates

Interventions from Carol Ann Pilon; Rachelle Frenette and Scott Shortliffe

• Introduction by Scott Shortliffe: Updates on the Commission's consultations surrounding the implementation of the modernized Broadcasting Act.
  • Consultation about the modernization of radio 2024-290. The intervention period closed as of 20 January 2025, and the reply period as of 4 February 2025.
  • Consultation on Canadian Content (Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC  2024-288). A public hearing will be held on 31 March 2025.
    • Informs of the publication of a public opinion research report to be held the following day (issued on 26 March 2025), Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-288-1).
  • Consultation on market dynamics and sustainability (Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2025-2).The intervention period closed as of 24 February 2025; the hearing will be held on 12 May 2025.
  • Consultation on Canadian and Indigenous audio content (Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2025-52): launched last week and will be open until 7 April 2025; hearing will be held on 28 June.
  • Decision on contributions (Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2024-121). The contributions are on hold pending a decision by the Federal Court of Appeal, due to be heard in June.
  • Reminder of the essential participation of OLMCs in all Committee processes, in order to have the perspective of all Canadians.
• Members' comments:
  • The matter of how the hearing on Canadian content scheduled for 31 March will be conducted: will interveners be grouped into panels, or will they be able to appear individually? Will they be grouped by market or by official language?
  • Concerns raised about the lack of representation of Francophone interveners at hearings, as well as the limited number of Francophone advisors on hearing panels.
  • Request to update the CRTC Notice of Consultation 2024-202.
• Staff comments:
  • The format of upcoming hearings has not yet been confirmed.
    • Different formats can be considered: individual or thematic interveners. However, the plan is not to have many panels. 
    • The Commission recognizes the difference between English- and French-language markets, and this distinction will be thoroughly taken into account.
    • Ensuring that advisors are proficient in French is a central concern for the CRTC.
    • All these questions will be raised with the planning team, who are always on the lookout for ways to improve processes.
  • The public record for CRTC Notice of Consultation 2024-202 is closed. The evaluation process is ongoing, and the Commission cannot provide any further information at this time. No timeline can be given at this stage.

3. Presentation

Interventions from Laura Leclerc; Kirwan Cox, Serge Quinty and Carol Ann Pilon.

• Presentation by Laura Leclerc: Presentation entitled Funding public participation in Commission proceedings for broadcasting.
  • Why public participation is important
  • Current framework – approach in telecommunications proceedings
  • Current framework – eligibility
  • Current framework – approach in broadcasting proceedings
  • Review of our funding models – Notice of consultation to follow
• Members' comments:
  • Concerns raised about insufficient funding for OLMCs to conduct research.
  • Wonder whether the establishment of fee allocation parameters will take into account the reinforced obligations to consult OLMCs.
  • A question about the scheduled launch date of the notice of consultation on the reimbursement of expenses.
• Staff comments:
  • It should be noted that public interest representatives may be reimbursed for expenses other than travel, such as the cost of hiring analysts or legal advisors.
  • Explained that the aim of this process is to have more inclusive rules.
  • Noted that there will be specific questions to target the needs of each group.
  • Reminder that the meetings of the CRTC-OLMC Discussion Group are an opportunity for OLMCs to provide their perspectives on the future method of reimbursing expenses. Encouraged members to submit formal interventions when the notice of consultation is issued.
  • Stated that the notice of consultation should be issued by the end of winter 2025, as planned in the Regulatory plan to modernize Canada’s broadcasting framework.

4. Presentation

Interventions from Michael Crupi and Simon Forgues

• Presentation by Michael Crupi: Presentation entitled National Public Alerting System (NPAS)
  • What is NPAS?
  • The CRTC's role in NPAS
  • Official languages and NPAS
  • Upcoming consultation on public alerts
• Members' comments:
  • Concerns about the clarity of pronunciation of French alerts when the message is broadcast using community radio equipment.
  • Concerns about the cost to community radio stations to purchase and update equipment to broadcast alert messages. Concerns also about the lifespan of this equipment and the services provided by equipment suppliers.
  • Request for a list of suppliers of alert message transmission equipment to be made available.
• Staff comments:
  • Please note that the services of different suppliers may vary in terms of updates. Equipment should have a long service life, and suppliers should continue to provide service even when the device is no longer being manufactured.
  • Public information is available with regard to alerting equipment suppliers. You can contact Pelmorex, as the NPAS operator, to get an idea of which suppliers are available to connect to the system. The CRTC does not have to favour one supplier or another, but it can help establish contact with Pelmorex.

5. Information

Interventions from Scott Shortliffe; Carol Ann Pilon and Linda Godin.

• Introduction by Scott Shortliffe: Discussion about how hearings and notices of consultation work during election periods.
  • For more information, visit guidelines, which states that, during an election period, issues that could be controversial should be avoided.
  • Public hearings could therefore be postponed until after the election.
  • Interventions and routine processes can continue during the election period; however, in general, no new processes can be issued.
• Members' comments:
  • A question about whether to postpone hearings when an election is called and of the deadline for confirming new dates.
  • A question about whether to complete or suspend hearings in progress if an election is called.
• Staff comments:
  • It is impossible to predict the dates of postponement, but the planned order of hearings would remain the same.
  • Several hearings have been planned. If one hearing has to be postponed, it could be moved to the date of the next one, and so on.
  • If an election is called during a hearing in progress, the hearing may be suspended or completed, depending on its progress.
  • Reminder that the CRTC's practice is to follow the guidelines, but that these offer a degree of flexibility. The intention is to offer information to OLMCs on upcoming changes in the event of an election as quickly as possible.

6. Logistics

Discussion with members of the CRTC-OLMC Discussion Group on the format of meeting minutes

Interventions from Rachelle Frenette; Kirwan Cox and Kay Saicheua

• Introduction by Rachelle Frenette
  • Explained that managing minutes requires a great deal of time and internal resources.
  • Clarified that the OLMC Mobilization Team is now available to answer questions from members and all OLMC representatives.
  • The interpretation service is now available during CRTC-OLMC Discussion Group meetings. This makes it easier for all participants to follow the progress of meetings.
  • For these reasons, note-taking at meetings will be a summary of discussions rather than a transcript, in order to keep the dialogue open and informal.
• Members' comments:
  • Concerns over change in meeting note-taking format: loss of information for all, especially those who need to refer to it due to absence from the meeting; failure to assign comments to specific interveners.
• Staff comments:
  • Reminder that before being published on the Commission's website, each set of minutes will be circulated for approval to participating members of the CRTC-OLMC Discussion Group. The latter will therefore have the opportunity to suggest modifications.
  • Reminder that the aim of the group is to have an open discussion, and that transcription could have the effect of limiting frank exchanges.
  • The OLMC Mobilization Team has also begun one-on-one meetings with members of the CRTC-OLMC Discussion Group, which will be beneficial to mutual collaboration.

7. Updates

Interventions from Kay Saicheua and Rachelle Frenette

• Introduction by Kay Saicheua: Presentation entitled OLMC Mobilization Team
  • Team structure and composition
  • Team purpose
  • Team mandate
  • Meetings with the OLMC Mobilization Team
  • What we want to do
• Members' comments: NIL
• Staff comments:
  • Reminder that this group is dedicated to OLMCs and aims to simplify the task of OLMCs in all CRTC processes and commitments.

8. Round Table

Interventions from Rachelle Frenette; Kirwan Cox; Serge Quinty and Barry Rooke

• Introduction by Rachelle Frenette: Opportunity for members of the Discussion Group present to share recent news or issues related to the communities they represent
• Members' comments:
  • Concerns about compliance with SRC/CBC conditions of service regarding Canadian programming expenditures (CPE) to be allocated to OLMC producers.
  • Certain members of the CRTC-OLMC Discussion Group requested that the group be redesigned.
  • A request to update the exemption order from the Online News Act granted to Google (Online News Decision CRTC 2024-262) and how the Canadian Journalism Collective (CJC) will allocate the amounts.
• Staff comments:
  • The Commission will analyze SRC/CBC data on CPE to be allocated to OLMCs and follow up with QEPC.
  • Reminder that the group will not be redesigned until the process for the Guidelines regarding consultation and engagement practices in proceedings relating to official language minority communities and official languages  (Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-202) has been completed.
  • Explanation that the Commission will examine how the amounts are allocated by the CJC and will act based on need.

9. Closing remarks

Closing remarks by Rachelle Frenette

Date modified:

2025-06-04