Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-137-1

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References: 2024-137, 2024-137-2

Ottawa, 10 September 2024

Public record: 1011-NOC2024-0137

Call for comments – Development of a regulatory policy for closed captioning provided by online streaming undertakings – Extension to the deadlines for the submission of interventions and of replies

New deadline for submission of interventions: 13 November 2024

New deadline for submission of replies: 13 December 2024

[Submit an intervention or view related documents]

Changes to procedure

  1. On 16 August 2024, the Commission received a procedural request from Deaf Wireless Canada Committee (DWCC) for an extension to the intervention and reply deadlines established in Call for comments – Development of a regulatory policy for closed captioning provided by online streaming undertakings, Broadcasting Notice of Consultation CRTC 2024-137, 25 June 2024 (Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2024-137).
  2. DWCC requested the following changes:


    (a) that the intervention deadline be extended by one month, to 19 September 2024, and that replies be extended to 7 October 2024; and

    (b) that it be permitted to submit a survey report on 13 November 2024 and that interveners be given the opportunity to comment on that report by 9 December 2024.

  3. In support of this extension, DWCC cited concerns about the low number of interventions on the record of the proceeding. It also questioned whether the Commission’s closed captioning complaints statistics reflected the actual level of concern over closed captioning by members of Deaf, Deaf-Blind, and Hard of Hearing (DDBHH) communities and indicated that it would conduct a survey of DDBHH individuals in order to help build a more fulsome record.
  4. Six parties filed letters of support for the extension request: Canada Deaf Grassroots Movement, Forum for Research and Policy in Communications, the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, the Deaf-Blind Planning Committee, the Canadian National Society of the Deaf-Blind, and Anderson Accessibility Research and Consultation.
  5. Despite the longer than normal timeframe initially provided for the intervention and reply periods, the Commission considers that the DWCC’s concern about low participation in the proceeding by DDBHH individuals is valid. Granting additional time to prepare their comments should result in a more fulsome record. Furthermore, a survey of individuals who rely on closed captioning may provide additional perspective on their lived experiences.
  6. Further, the Commission considers that the request to extend the intervention and reply deadlines may remove a procedural barrier for DDBHH individuals, which would be consistent with the principles of the Accessible Canada Act.
  7. While the DWCC requested that a separate set of deadlines be imposed after the general reply period for the submission of its survey report, the Commission considers that extending the intervention period for everyone simplifies the process and equitably provides all parties with more time to prepare their submissions. The Commission considers this to be a significant extension of time and does not anticipate the need for any further extensions.
  8. Accordingly, the Commission extends the intervention deadline set out in Broadcasting Notice of Consultation 2024-137 to 13 November 2024 and extends the deadline for the submission of replies to 13 December 2024. This extension maintains the initial 30-day timeframe between the intervention and reply deadlines, which aimed to give those parties submitting comments in American Sign Language (ASL) and Langue des signes québécoise (LSQ) enough time for video production.
  9. For those parties who have never participated in one of the Commission’s broadcasting consultations, the Commission reminds potential intervenors of the role of the Broadcasting Participation Fund (BPF) in providing cost support, and encourages them to consult the BPF to determine what costs may be reimbursed in this context.

Secretary General

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