Telecom - Staff Letter addressed to Yanick Boily (Québecor Media inc.) and Stéphane Émard-Chabot (City of Ottawa)
Gatineau, 14 July 2025
Reference: 8690-V3-202401537
BY EMAIL
Yanick Boily
Senior Director, Regulatory Affairs, Telecommunications
Québecor Media inc.
612 rue St-Jacques,
Montreal QC H3C 4M8
yanick.boily@quebecor.com
Stéphane Émard-Chabot
Counsel to the City of Ottawa
1-5925 Jeanne d'Arc Blvd.,
Ottawa ON K1C 6V8
semard-chabot@sicotte.ca
Subject: Part 1 Application by Québecor Media inc., on behalf of its subsidiary Vidéotron Ltd. so that the Commission orders the City of Ottawa to reimburse it for the costs of moving its telecommunications lines and equipment — Request for Information
Dear recipients,
On 4 April 2024, Québecor Media inc. (QMI), on behalf of its subsidiary Vidéotron Ltd. (Vidéotron)submitted a Part 1 application requesting that the Commission direct the City of Ottawa (the City) to reimburse, in part at least, the relocation costs of transmission lines and equipment owned by Vidéotron as set out in the provisions of a Municipal Access Agreement (MAA) binding both parties.
In its 10 May 2024 Answer, the City argues that Vidéotron is mistaken in believing that the MAA between the City and Vidéotron applies to this situation and alleges that it is rather the MAA between the City and la Société de Réseaux Dédiés Privés Inc. (SRDP) that applies. The City indicates that the obligations under the SRDP MAA were assigned to Canadian P2P Fibre Systems Ltd. (P2P) and then potentially assumed by Fibrenoire inc. (Fibrenoire), when P2P was dissolved.
Pursuant to section 37 of the Telecommunications Act (Act), the Commission may require any person to submit information that is necessary for the administration of the Act. In order to assist the Commission’s assessment of the issues raised in this process, QMI and the City are asked to provide a response to the attached questions by 24 July 2025, serving their response on the other party at the same time. Repeat the Commission’s questions before answering them and use the secure service My CRTC Account (Partner Log In or GCKey) for filing the information.
As set out in section 39 of the Act, and in Broadcasting and Telecom Information Bulletin CRTC 2010-961, Procedures for filing confidential information and requesting its disclosure in Commission proceedings, persons may designate certain information as confidential. A detailed explanation as to why the designated information is confidential and why its disclosure would not be in the public interest must be provided, including why the specific direct harm that would be likely to result from the disclosure would outweigh the public interest in disclosure.
In addition to the confidential version, an abridged version of the document omitting only the confidential information must be filed. Alternatively, reasons why an abridged version cannot be filed must be provided.
This letter, and any related correspondence, will be placed on the public record of this proceeding.
Sincerely,
Original signed by Christine Marques for
Suneil Kanjeekal
Director, Dispute Resolution and Regulatory Implementation
Telecommunications Sector, CRTC
c.c.: Joël Beaupré, CRTC, joel.beaupre@crtc.gc.ca
Attach. (1)
Request for Information – Questions for Québecor Media Inc.
In its application and reply, Québecor Media Inc. (QMI) on behalf of its subsidiary Vidéotron Ltd. (Vidéotron) submits that Vidéotron owns the transmission lines and equipment that have been relocated at the request of the City of Ottawa (the City).
Commission staff ask that QMI:
Provide any and all purchase agreements or other contracts that led to Vidéotron owning the transmission lines referenced in the application. Such contracts should show how the transmission lines in question changed hands to ultimately be owned by Vidéotron and QMI.
Provide any evidence of the assignment or transfer of legal obligations under MAAs with the City as related to this application. Such obligations could include those assigned to companies mentioned in this application such as, but not limited to, Société de Réseaux Dédiés Privés Inc. (SRDP), Canadian P2P Fibre Systems Ltd. (P2P) and Fibrenoire inc. (Fibrenoire) (and any related parents or subsidiaries). This could include notification of any assignments to the City or documentation between Vidéotron and/or QMI and the acquired companies related to assignment of contractual obligations.
Provide any additional details relevant to the Commission’s understanding of the numerous acquisitions, mergers and dissolutions that led to QMI’s current corporate structure as relate to Vidéotron’s or QMI’s assets (e.g., transmission lines) installed on, under, or along a highway or other public place controlled by the City.
Request for information - Questions for the City of Ottawa
In its answer, the City submits a copy of the MAA between SRDP and the City but did not discuss or submit any other MAAs to which the City is a party. Further, the City submits it is P2P (or Fibrenoire as its successor) that installed the transmission lines and equipment referenced in the application on Hydro Ottawa support Structures.
Accordingly, Commission staff asks that the City:
Provide copies of any past and present MAAs between the City and P2P and the City and Fibrenoire, including any MAAs with their subsidiaries or parent companies, and with any other companies related or relevant to this application.
Provide any additional details of the active MAAs between the City and Vidéotron’s current and past subsidiaries. Confirm whether the only relevant active MAAs are the SDRP MAA and the Vidéotron MAA.
Provide evidence of which party (P2P or Fibrenoire) initially installed and was granted access by Hydro Ottawa to attach the transmission lines and equipment referenced in the application.
Tab 10 of the documents the City provided to supplement its answer contains a letter from SRDP indicating that it will provide the City with “a true copy of the assignment upon execution of same”. Provide the Commission a copy of this assignment document, if the City received it. If the City did not receive it, indicate as much.
Provide copies of any assignment notifications received by the City that may relate to the companies or transmission lines at issue in this application. In particular, provide any notification of P2P’s assignment of any of its contractual obligations vis-à-vis the City or any notification of Fibrenoire’s assignment of any of its contractual obligations vis-à-vis the City.
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