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Telecom - Staff Letter addressed to the Distribution List

Gatineau, 23 June 2025

Reference(s): 1011-NOC2023-0056, 8740-B2-202302248, 8740-A53-202302256, 8740-M59-202302264, 8740-S22-202302230

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Subject: Procedural letter - Items filed pursuant to Telecom Notice of Consultation CRTC 2023-56, Notice of hearing – Review of the wholesale high-speed access service framework – Incumbent Local Exchange Carriers follow-up to Telecom Order CRTC 2025-13 - 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 proceeding by Bell Canada, Bell Aliant, Bell MTS, and SaskTel.

On 12 May 2025, the Competitive Network Operators of Canada (CNOC) and TekSavvy Solutions Inc. (TekSavvy) filed a joint request for disclosure of information for which confidentiality had been claimed regarding responses to the Commission’s requests for information (RFIs) set out in the Commission staff letter dated 3 March 2025 in relation to Tariff Notices (TN) for Bell Aliant (TN 569, 569/A, 569/B, 569/C, 569/D), Bell Canada (TN 7664, 7664/A, 7664/B, 7664/C), Bell MTS (TN 852, 852/A, 852/B, 852/C, 852/D), and SaskTel (TN 378, 378/A, 378/B, 378/C, 378/D). SaskTel and Bell Canada (who filed jointly for Bell, Bell MTS, and Bell Aliant) filed responses on 20 May 2025.

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 more fulsome 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 CNOC and TekSavvy, as well as the reply comments filed on 20 May 2025 from Bell Canada and SaskTel. Commission staff considers that Bell Canada’s disclosure, including its additional disclosure in reply to the request from CNOC and TekSavvy, is sufficient to have a complete record, and that the potential harm caused by further disclosure would outweigh the public interest in this case. Commission staff considers that SaskTel’s disclosures, including its additional disclosure in reply to the Staff Letter dated 21 May 2025, is sufficient to have a complete record, and that the potential harm caused by further disclosure would outweigh the public interest in this case.

Sincerely,

Original signed by

Chris Noonan
Director, Competitor Services & Costing Implementation
Telecommunications Sector

Attach. (1) Distribution List

Distribution list

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