Telecom - Staff Letter addressed to Distribution List

Ottawa, 6 May 2024

Our reference: 1011-NOC2023-0089

BY EMAIL

Distribution List

Subject: Call for comments - Broadband Fund policy review, Notice of Consultation CRTC 2023-89, Revised Phase 1 process

On 23 March 2023, the Commission issued Broadband Fund policy review, Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2023-89, 24 April 2024 (the Policy Review), inviting interested parties to provide comment and assist in improving the Commission’s Broadband Fund.

On 24 April 2024, Commission staff issued a staff letter that (1) added interventions from the Tłı̨chǫ Government, the Taku River Tlingit First Nation, and the Kativik Regional Government (KRG) to the Policy Review proceeding, and (2) extended the deadline for Phase 1 of the proceeding by two weeks, to 8 May 2024, to provide parties to the proceeding with the opportunity to read and reply to the three new interventions.

On 25 April 2024 the Commission received a second intervention from KRG. In that intervention, KRG provided responses to the questions asked in TNC 2023-89.

Commission staff considers that it would be in the public interest to accept this new intervention from KRG. Further, out of fairness to parties to the proceeding, Commission staff considers that further process should be added to Phase 1 of the proceeding to allow parties to read and reply to this new intervention.

However, as evidenced by the interventions of the Tłı̨chǫ Government, the Taku River Tlingit First Nation, and KRG, Commission staff considers that there may be other entities who are not currently party to the Policy Review but who may want to similarly provide input on the issues considered in this proceeding.

In light of the above, the 25 April 2024 intervention from KRG will be added to the Policy Review proceeding on 7 May 2024. Further, the deadline for Phase 1 of the proceeding is extended to accommodate the new process as follows:

  1. Only entities who did not already submit an intervention, and therefore are not currently a party to the Policy Review can file a new intervention that provides input on any of the issues considered in Phase 1 of this proceeding by 5 June 2024.
  2. All parties to the Policy Review can provide input, by 17 June 2024, on any of the new interventions received on the record of this proceeding, including the new interventions from the Tłı̨chǫ Government, the Taku River Tlingit First Nation, and KRG.

Sincerely,

Original signed by

Julie Cook
Director, Broadband Funding Regime
Telecommunications Sector

c.c.:  Kevin Pickell, CRTC, Kevin.Pickell@crtc.gc.ca

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