Telecom - Commission Letter addressed to Stan Thompson (Northwestel Inc.)
Ottawa, 24 March 2021
Our reference: 1011-NOC2020-0367
BY E-MAIL
Mr. Stan Thompson
Chief Financial Officer & Vice-President
Northwestel Inc.
P.O. Box 2727
Whitehorse, Yukon Y1A 4Y4
regulatoryaffairs@nwtel.ca
Re: Telecom Notice of Consultation 2020-367, Review of the Commission's regulatory framework for Northwestel Inc. and the state of telecommunications services in Canada's North (TNC 2020-367) - Request for information – Extension Request
Mr. Thompson,
This is in response to your letter dated 17 March 2021 requesting that Northwestel Inc. (Northwestel) be granted an extension of time to file its responses to a request for information (RFI) issued by Commission staff, dated 21 January 2021.
In its letter, Northwestel stated that the volume of work related to developing the cost models and preparing the remainder of the information that is requested has proven to be a very resource-intensive and time consuming exercise. Northwestel indicated that it will not be able to file the requested information by 30 March 2021, and requested that the Commission extend the response period to 13 April 2021.
Northwestel also requested the Commission to correspondingly adjust the remainder of the related procedures, namely by extending by two weeks the original due dates for the filing of comments on its RFI responses, and for the filing of its reply to those comments.
This proceeding raises important issues for Canadians living in the North and must progress in a timely manner. Nonetheless, it is important to ensure a complete and robust record, as well as to afford all parties sufficient opportunity to submit comments regarding information provided by Northwestel. Under the circumstances, a two week extension is reasonable and would not result in undue delay or prejudice. As such, Commission staff considers that an extension is appropriate at this time.
Accordingly, Northwestel is to file its responses to the RFI by 13 April 2021. Parties may file comments strictly limited to the new information provided in response to this RFI by 23 April 2021, and Northwestel may file reply comments with respect to this RFI by 30 April 2021.
Yours sincerely,
Original signed by
Lisanne Legros
Director, Telecommunications Networks Policy
Telecommunications Sector
cc: Suneil Kanjeekal, CRTC, (613) 668-6561, suneil.kanjeekal@crtc.gc.ca;
Nicolas Gatto, CRTC, (873) 353-9280, nicolas.gatto@crtc.gc.ca;
Simon Wozny, CRTC, (873) 455-4630, simon.wozny@crtc.gc.ca;
Marianne Blais, CRTC, (819) 997-4836, marianne.blais@crtc.gc.ca
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