Telecom - Staff Letter addressed to the Distribution List
Ottawa, 5 June 2024
Our reference: 8740-B20-202305888
BY EMAIL
Distribution List
Subject: Bell Canada Tariff Notice 981 - Changes to Support Structure Service – Ontario and Quebec Pole Rental Unit Rate – staff ruling on disclosure requests of certain information filed in confidence
This letter addresses requests for disclosure of information filed in confidence in the above noted tariff application filed by Bell Canada.
On 3 November 2023, Cogeco Communications Inc, on behalf of Cogeco Connexion Inc.; Bragg Communications Inc., carrying on business as Eastlink; Quebecor Media Inc., on behalf of Videotron Ltd; and Rogers Communications Canada Inc. on behalf of itself and its affiliate Shaw Cablesystems G.P. (collectively, the Cable Carriers) filed a collective request for disclosure of information for which confidentiality had been claimed regarding the above noted tariff application. On 8 November 2023, Bell Canada filed a response, providing disclosure on many of the items in question. On 23 November 2023, as part of its comments, the Cable Carriers reiterated their request for disclosure on the remaining items for which confidentiality had been claimed.
On 16 November 2023, the Independent Telecommunications Providers Association (ITPA) filed comments requesting clarifications on items included in the above noted tariff application.
Disclosure
Commission staff notes that requests for disclosure of information designated as confidential are addressed in light of sections 38 and 39 of the Telecommunications Act (the Act) and sections 30 and following of the CRTC Rules of Practice and Procedure (the Rules of Procedure). In evaluating a request, an assessment is made as to whether the information falls into a category of information that can be designated as confidential pursuant to section 39 of the Act. An assessment is then made as to whether there is any specific direct harm likely to result from the disclosure of the information in question and whether any such harm outweighs the public interest in disclosure. In making this evaluation, a number of factors are taken into consideration, including the degree of competition and the importance of disclosure of the information for the purpose of obtaining a fuller record. The factors considered are discussed in more detail in Procedures for filing confidential information and requesting its disclosure in Commission proceedings, Broadcasting and Telecom Information Bulletin CRTC 2010-961, 23 December 2010, as amended by Broadcasting and Telecom Information Bulletin CRTC 2010-961-1, 26 October 2012.
Commission staff has reviewed the requests filed by the Cable Carriers, as well as reply comments from Bell Canada, and considers that Bell Canada’s disclosure, including its additional disclosure in reply to the request from the Cable Carriers, is sufficient to have a complete record, and that the potential harm caused by further disclosure would outweigh the public interest in this case.
Clarifications
Regarding the ITPA’s requests for clarification, Commission staff will consider the ITPA’s questions when assessing whether to send additional requests for information.
Sincerely,
Original signed by
Chris Noonan
Director, Competitor Services & Costing Implementation
Telecommunication sector
c.c.: Josée Line Gendron, CRTC 819-360-8798 JoseeLine.Gendron@crtc.gc.ca
Attach. (1):
Distribution List
Bell Canada (bell.regulatory@bell.ca)
Cogeco Communications Inc. (mtl-telecom.regulatory@cogeco.com)
Bragg Communications Incorporated, (regulatory.matters@corp.eastlink.ca)
Rogers Communications Canada Inc. (regulatory@rci.rogers.com)
Shaw Cablesystems G.P. (Regulatory@sjrb.ca)
Quebecor Media Inc., on behalf of Videotron Ltd. (regaffairs@quebecor.com)
Independent Telecommunications Providers Association (jonathan.holmes@itpa.ca)
Développement Innovations du Haut-Richelieu (p.lapointe@ihrtelecom.com)
Canadian Communication Systems Alliance (CCSA) (ceo@ccsaonline.ca)
Coopérative de câblodistribution de l'arrière-pays (CCAP) (stephane.arseneau@ccap.coop)
Coopérative de Cablodistribution de LIle-aux-Coudres (cabloiac2115@gmail.com)
Coopérative de câblodistribution de Ste-Hedwidge (coopcablo1986@gmail.com)
Cooptel (mrocheleau@cooptel.coop)
MRC de Montcalm (nrousseau@mrcmontcalm.com)
Fédération des coopératives de câblodistribution et de télécommunication du Québec (fallaire@ressources.coop)
- Date modified: