Departmental Results Report 2022-23

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission

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The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, P.C., M.P.
Minister of Canadian Heritage

His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2023

Catalogue No. BC9-27E-PDF

ISSN 2560-9971

Table of contents

• From the Minister
• Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer’s message
• Results at a glance
• Results: what we achieved
  • Core responsibilities
  • Internal services
• Spending and human resources
  • Spending
  • Human resources
  • Expenditures by vote
  • Government of Canada spending and activities
  • Financial statements and financial statements highlights
• Corporate Information
  • Organizational profile
  • Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do
  • Operating context
  • Reporting framework
• Supporting information on the program inventory
• Supplementary information tables
• Federal tax expenditures
• Organizational contact information
• Appendix: definitions
• Endnotes

From the Minister

In Canada, people from all regions make their talent, excellence and spirit of innovation known in countless ways. In their respective mandates, the organizations of the Canadian Heritage Portfolio, including the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), reflect these rich values. They carry out their activities in areas as diverse and lively as the arts, culture, heritage and communications. They also help contribute to the Government of Canada’s efforts in promoting an inclusive and respectful society, with eyes set on the path to Reconciliation.

In 2022, the CRTC issued an important decision on a three-digit number for mental health crisis and suicide prevention services for Canadians. The implementation of 9-8-8 places Canada among the first jurisdictions in the world, along with the Netherlands and the United States, to improve access to mental health crisis and suicide prevention services in this way.

In the same year, the CRTC Broadband Fund committed $20.5 million to improve high-speed Internet and mobile services in Manitoba, Quebec and Newfoundland and Labrador. The new projects funded will benefit communities and areas where there is a great need for high-speed Internet and mobile services.

Radio is a very important medium that entertains, informs, lets us discover new artists and ensures that local voices are heard. In November 2022, the CRTC updated its commercial radio policy to better support Canadian artists and provide flexibility to help the radio industry remain competitive in a changing environment.

As Minister of Canadian Heritage, I invite you to have a look at the 2022–23 Departmental Results Report for the CRTC to get a better idea of its accomplishments over the past year.

The Honourable Pascale St-Onge

Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer’s message

On behalf of the CRTC, I am pleased to present the 2022–23 Departmental Results Report.

The CRTC regulates telecommunications and broadcasting in Canada. These sectors connect us to each other, to our communities, and to the world around us. They are the backbone of our economy, our culture and our society.

Over the past year, the CRTC began preparing for new legislation and policy directions from the Government of Canada to advance the cultural, social and economic interests of Canadians in the digital economy. In broadcasting, that meant laying the groundwork to implement the Online Streaming Act (Bill C-11) and the Online News Act (Bill C-18). In telecommunications, it meant improving Canadians’ access to high-quality and affordable Internet and cellphone services while maintaining incentives for companies to invest in reliable networks.

The CRTC is keeping a sharp focus on delivering results today while looking ahead to the future.

Vicky Eatrides

Results at a glance

In 2022-23, the CRTC continued its efforts to ensure that all Canadians have access to a world-class communications system. It supported modern and robust Canadian broadcast and news sectors, ensured competitive and reliable Internet and cellphone services, and created a safer and more secure online marketplace for Canadians. The CRTC also continued to build its internal capacity and expertise so that it could make faster decisions, improve transparency and reach more Canadians through better engagement.

Supporting modern and robust Canadian broadcast and news sectors

As Parliament worked through the Online Streaming Act and the Online News Act, the CRTC began laying the groundwork to set up the new regulatory frameworks. This included the development of comprehensive plans for public consultations.

Competitive and reliable Internet and cellphone services

The CRTC reworked its frameworks for Internet and cellphone services. It continued to help increase access in underserved areas with its Broadband Fund and worked to improve affordability, reliability and competition through its Telecommunications in the Far North proceeding. The CRTC also addressed concerns with major service outages affecting telecommunications networks and launched a consultation on reporting requirements.

A safer and more secure online marketplace

The CRTC contributed to Canadians’ safety within their communications system with a large-scale search operation into a series of major bank phishing campaigns targeting Canadians and financial institutions. It also issued penalties for violations of the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules (UTRs) and Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL).

Actual spending and full-time employees

For more information on the CRTC’s plans, priorities and results achieved, see the “Results: what we achieved” section of this report.

Results: what we achieved

Core responsibilities

Regulate and Supervise the Communications System

Description

The CRTC is an administrative tribunal that is responsible for regulating and supervising Canada’s communications system in the public interest.

Established to develop, implement and enforce regulatory policies on the Canadian communications system, the CRTC performs a wide range of functions, including rule making and policy development. It has the quasi-judicial powers of a superior court with respect to the production and examination of evidence and the enforcement of its decisions. As an administrative tribunal it operates at arm’s length from the federal government.

The CRTC develops regulatory policies for Canada’s communications system; approves mergers, acquisitions and changes of ownership of broadcasting distribution undertakings; approves tariffs and agreements for certain telecommunications services; issues, renews and amends licences for broadcasting distribution and programming undertakings; and resolves disputes regarding certain commercial arrangements. The CRTC intervenes specifically in situations where market forces alone cannot achieve the policy objectives set out within its legislative mandate.

Results

Departmental Results one and four: “Canadian content is created” as a result of processes that are “efficient and fair”

The CRTC worked toward its goal of supporting a modern and robust broadcast sector, particularly in the new areas of online content and news over 2022-23.

As Canada’s broadcasting regulator, the CRTC makes regulations to promote the creation of Canadian audio and audiovisual content following public consultations. These regulations ensure that Canadians have access to compelling creative content from diverse sources on a variety of platforms. The CRTC measures the effectiveness of these regulations through the total annual investment in Canadian television programming production. In 2022-23, the CRTC exceeded the target for its role in the creation of Canadian audiovisual content. The total investment in Canadian television programming production was above the target range of $4 billion to $4.5 billion. At $4.67 billion, this amount is also an increase over the $4.1 billion invested in 2021-22. This increase is due to the broadcasting industry catching up on production that was halted by the pandemic shutdown.

As part of its role in the creation of audiovisual content, the CRTC processed 1,512 applications from independent producers seeking to obtain Canadian program certification for their television productions. Canadian independent television productions represent a significant proportion of Canadian audiovisual content promoted by the CRTC and of the programs aired by Canadian broadcasters.

The CRTC also continued renewing broadcasting licences and updating broadcasting regulatory policies while focussing on the priorities below.

Online Streaming Act

Recognizing that technology has changed Canadians’ viewing and listening habits, the Government of Canada introduced the Online Streaming Act to modernize the Broadcasting Act. The CRTC developed a multi‑year plan to implement the Online Streaming Act and help ensure that Canadian audio and audiovisual content is widely available on online streaming services. As part of its plan, the CRTC prepared to launch several public processes once the Online Streaming Act received Royal Assent.

Online News Act

The CRTC prepared to implement the Online News Act. The CRTC looked at how it could quickly adapt to potential changes coming from this new legislation, including preparing for public consultations to explore building a mandatory bargaining framework for fair negotiations between Canadian news organizations and online platforms.

Renewal of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s broadcasting licences

In 2022-23, the CRTC renewed the broadcasting licences for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s (CBC) radio and television services. The CRTC acknowledged the need to provide the CBC with more flexibility to fulfill its mandate across traditional and online platforms and to allow the framework to be adaptable for several years.

Indigenous broadcasting policy

The CRTC is committed to advancing reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. It continued its three-phase proceeding to co-develop a new Indigenous broadcasting policy with First Nations, Métis and Inuit broadcasters, content creators and audiences. It focused on preparing Phase Two, a public consultation on how the broadcasting system can best complement the broadcasting interests and needs of Indigenous Peoples.

Commercial radio policy

The CRTC updated its commercial radio policy to better support Canadian artists and provide flexibility to help the radio industry remain competitive in a changing environment.

Departmental Results two and four: “Canadians are connected to world-class communications services” as a result of processes that are “efficient and fair”

The CRTC continued its work to improve Canadians’ access to high-quality, affordable and reliable Internet and cellphone services.

The CRTC is on track to help meet the December 2031 target of 100% of households having access to fixed broadband 50/10 Internet access services with the option of an unlimited data plan. The CRTC shares this responsibility with other departments, including Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED). As of December 2022, 91.9%^{Footnote 1} of households have this access. The percentage of households with access to the latest cellphone technology in 2022 was 99.4%, well on its way to the target of 100% by December 2026.

Canada had a 7.63 percentage point lead on the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) average of total high-capacity fixed broadband subscriptions. This result increased substantially in 2022 due to the progression of fibre connections in Canada, which surpassed the growth of fibre connections in OECD countries on average. Although the 7.9 percentage point target was not met, Canada remains substantially above the OECD average and registered a large increase in subscriptions to high-capacity broadband connections in 2022.^{Footnote 2} The small gap against the target can be attributed in part to the continued yet slowly decreasing reliance on digital subscriber line (DSL) connections by Canadian households (DSL connections are not considered high-capacity broadband connections).

To fulfill its commitment to help ensure that Canadians are connected to world-class communications services, the CRTC focused on the priorities below.

More competition and choice in the Internet and cellphone services markets

The CRTC continued to work to promote better competition for retail Internet and cellphone services to increase service choice and affordability for Canadians.

To accomplish this, the CRTC reviewed and made significant changes to its wholesale high-speed access (HSA) service framework. The review included an examination of whether large telephone and cable companies should provide competitors with access to their fibre-to-the-home networks, thus enabling faster Internet speeds to their customers. The CRTC aimed to strike the right balance between lower prices for Canadians and continued investment in high-quality and reliable networks.

The CRTC also significantly reworked its framework for mobile wireless by establishing policies and rules around seamless roaming and mobile virtual network operators (MVNO) access services. These policies and rules will help regional cellphone providers offer more competition and choice to Canadians. The CRTC also launched a proceeding to consider whether the enterprise and Internet of Things (IoT) and machine-to-machine (M2M) retail market segments should be included in its wholesale MVNO access framework to increase the overall level of mobile wireless competition for the benefit of Canadians.

The CRTC set expedited timelines for large telephone companies to provide competitors with access to poles. Competitors will be able to roll out their broadband networks more quickly and efficiently, leading to more competition across Canada.

Improved access to Internet and cellphone services

The CRTC plays an important role in supporting high-quality, high-speed Internet and cellphone access for all Canadians.

Accordingly, the CRTC continued its work to improve high-speed Internet and cellphone access in underserved areas. Through its Broadband Fund, the CRTC approved funding of $20.5 million to improve Internet and mobile wireless access in 35 communities across Manitoba, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador. The CRTC also launched its third call for applications to address service gaps in Canada. Finally, the CRTC initiated a review of its Broadband Fund to further improve the speed and impact of the funding. As part of the review, the CRTC will consider the creation of a new funding stream for Indigenous communities.

Canadians in the Far North face unique challenges in accessing high-quality, affordable and reliable Internet and mobile wireless services. Accordingly, the CRTC launched a proceeding to improve telecommunications services in the Far North. As part of the proceeding, the CRTC is also considering how it can support reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples.

Network reliability

The CRTC is committed to helping ensure that Canadians receive more reliable service.

In 2022-23, the CRTC launched a consultation on requirements for reporting major service outages affecting telecommunications networks that disrupt Canadians’ lives. In the interim, it directed all service providers to notify it within two hours of when they become aware of a major outage. They must also file a comprehensive report with the CRTC no later than 14 days after the outage. The CRTC stated its intention to launch additional consultations, which may examine measures to enhance network reliability, improve access to emergency services, examine consumer communications and compensation, reduce the impact of outages on accessibility services and explore imposing penalties on service providers.

The CRTC, in collaboration with ISED, also undertook research on international approaches to improving network reliability.

Accessibility

The CRTC remains dedicated to ensuring that all persons in Canada have barrier-free access to telecommunications services. The CRTC continued the proceeding to review the regulatory framework for video relay service (VRS)^{Footnote 3} in Canada to ensure the service meets the needs of Canadians whose first language is sign language. The CRTC also imposed additional regulatory requirements on cellphone providers to ensure that cellphone plans for persons with disabilities more fully meet their needs.

Measuring Broadband Canada project

The CRTC, in collaboration with ISED, launched the third phase of the Measuring Broadband Canada project. This project measures broadband Internet performance, including actual connection speeds, in Canadian homes. This phase focuses specifically on the performance of fixed wireless Internet services with download speeds of 50Mbps or faster provided to Canadian homes.^{Footnote 4}

Emergency mental health support

The CRTC adopted 9-8-8 as the number to call or text for Canadians who need immediate mental health crisis and suicide prevention intervention. The implementation of 9-8-8 will help reduce barriers to accessing mental health and suicide prevention resources.

Departmental Results three and four: “Canadians are protected within the communications system” as a result of processes that are “efficient and fair”

An important part of the CRTC’s role as Canada’s telecommunications regulator is ensuring that Canadians can trust their Internet, cellphone and telephone services. The CRTC continued its work to protect Canadians from scam communications, like online spam and nuisance phone calls.

Canadians also rely on telecommunications services for their personal safety and welfare. The CRTC requires telephone and cellphone companies to provide 9-1-1 services and comply with certain obligations. The CRTC also requires cellphone companies, cable and satellite companies, and radio and television broadcasters to participate in the National Public Alerting System (NPAS). The NPAS issues emergency alerts to warn the public about imminent or possible dangers. The system is also used for Amber Alerts.

In 2022-23, the CRTC met two of its targets related to protecting Canadians by and within their communications system. All organizations remained compliant for three years after enforcement action was taken on unsolicited commercial communications, surpassing the 80% target. All facilities-based telecommunications service providers (TSPs) complied with 9-1-1 requirements. However, two of the 100% targets for public alerting were not fully met. 96.99% of broadcasting undertakings participated in the public alerting system. The majority of non-compliant broadcasting undertakings were small independent broadcasters (e.g., community stations). They cited challenges with funding and technical expertise as reasons for being unable to implement public alerting. 99.99% of Canadian subscribers had access to public alerting through wireless service providers. Two small wireless service providers with a total of 4,300 subscribers were non-compliant.

Throughout 2022-23, the CRTC helped protect Canadians by focusing on the priorities below.

Addressed scam communications

Canadians need to feel safe in their communications system, but scam communications can erode their trust. The CRTC continued to strengthen Canadians’ safety from malicious Internet traffic and nuisance calls through various means in 2022-23:

• The CRTC carried out a large-scale CASL-related search operation into a series of major bank phishing campaigns targeting Canadians and financial institutions. The CRTC also issued a penalty in the amount of $175,000 following an investigation into Cue Learn Pvt. Ltd. for violations of the UTRs. The CRTC issued a total amount payable of $793,178 for alleged violations under either the UTRs ($643,178) or CASL ($150,000).
• The CRTC participated in numerous events with various companies, associations and organizations to raise awareness about the application of the UTRs and CASL, including noting that the CRTC will enforce their application through traditional or innovative approaches.
• The CRTC established a preliminary framework for Canadian carriers to implement network-level blocking to limit botnet traffic, including spam, information theft and ransomware attacks.
• The CRTC hosted regulators from Australia, Ireland, Hong Kong and the United States to explore opportunities for greater international collaboration to combat scam communications.

Supported the implementation of next-generation 9-1-1 services

The CRTC continued to support and regulate the telecommunications industry’s effective and timely implementation of next-generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1) emergency communications. The CRTC expanded the types of technologies that can be used for handling NG9-1-1 calls. The CRTC also continued the proceeding to determine whether NG9-1-1 access services should be funded through the National Contribution Fund to ensure that vulnerable and low-income Canadians as well as Canadians living in rural areas are not charged more than others for these services.

Continued to improve the National Public Alerting System

The CRTC continued to collaborate with public and private partners to improve the NPAS, including exploring new options for long-term viability and funding.

Gender-based analysis plus

When it renewed the broadcasting licences for the CBC’s radio and television services in June 2022, the CRTC:

• established expenditure requirements for video productions made by Indigenous producers, producers from official language minority communities (OLMCs), racialized producers, producers with disabilities and producers who self-identify as 2SLGBTQI+;
• required the CBC to consult with these groups regularly to ensure that its programming meets their needs; and
• made available to the CBC an intersectionality credit to incentivize expenditures on productions produced by Indigenous Peoples, racialized persons, persons with disabilities and persons who identify as 2SLGBTQI+, who also identify as women.

United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Sustainable Development Goals

The CRTC continues to work with Employment and Social Development Canada and Statistics Canada to contribute to the development and measurement of two indicators related to the national availability of both fixed broadband Internet and the latest generally deployed mobile wireless technology. These indicators contribute to the measurement of Sustainable Development Goal 9 of the Canadian Indicator Framework, “Industry, innovation and infrastructure: build resilient infrastructure, promote inclusive and sustainable industrialization and foster innovation.”

Key risks

The broadcasting and telecommunications environment is characterized by intense change. The CRTC is being called on to rework its regulatory frameworks and to create new ones, all within a short period of time. This requires significant consultation to obtain a broad range of views and a solid public record on which to base its decisions, while moving quickly to provide certainty to all interested parties.

Financial, human resources and performance information for CRTC’s Program Inventory is available in GC InfoBase.^{Endnote i}

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

The following table shows, for Regulate and Supervise the Communications System, budgetary spending for 2022–23, as well as actual spending for that year.

Financial, human resources and performance information for CRTC’s Program Inventory is available in GC InfoBase.^{Endnote ii}

Human resources (full-time equivalents)

The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the department needed to fulfill this core responsibility for 2022–23.

Financial, human resources and performance information for CRTC’s Program Inventory is available in GC InfoBase.^{Endnote iii}

Internal Services

Description

Internal services are those groups of related activities and resources that the federal government considers to be services in support of programs and/or required to meet corporate obligations of an organization. Internal services refers to the activities and resources of the 10 distinct service categories that support program delivery in the organization, regardless of the internal services delivery model in a department. The 10 service categories are:

• acquisition management services
• communication services
• financial management services
• human resources management services
• information management services
• information technology services
• legal services
• material management services
• management and oversight services
• real property management services

Results

In 2022-23, the CRTC worked towards the following in support of its core responsibility.

More inclusive, barrier-free, and diverse workplace

The CRTC continued to create a more inclusive, barrier-free, diverse workplace to better represent and respond to the needs of Canada’s population.

To support the CRTC’s efforts to increase diversity at the executive level, the CRTC added a new sponsorship component to its existing mentorship program. The government-wide Mentorship Plus supports the leadership development of members of employment equity (EE) and equity-seeking groups at the EX minus one level who aspire to executive positions. The CRTC launched its first cohort of executive mentor-protégé pairings in 2022.

The CRTC prepared to launch an Employment Systems Review through a third party. This review will inform future updates to CRTC staffing policies, programs, practices and procedures to remove any identified barriers to EE and equity-seeking groups. This work will continue in 2023-24.

In anticipation of the coming into force of changes to the Public Service Employment Act (PSEA), the CRTC developed its methodology to understand internal biases and barriers affecting EE and equity-seeking groups. CRTC HR functional specialists also participated in workshops offered by the Public Service Commission in support of new PSEA requirements. These workshops allowed CRTC HR functional specialists to better understand biases and barriers in staffing, as well as to determine hiring managers’ learning needs and the support they will require to review evaluation tools and eliminate barriers.

The CRTC continued its activities in support of diversity, inclusion and reconciliation. Mandatory training was given to employees. This training included a specialized learning workshop on unconscious and systemic bias for managers and supervisors to educate them on various types of bias, the impacts of bias on decision-making and how bias contributes to the creation and maintenance of barriers to inclusion.

Following extensive consultations with both CRTC employees and the Canadian public, the CRTC developed its first Accessibility Plan, which was published in December 2022. Implementation of the plan began in 2023 with the review of accessibility training offerings and the development of updated mandatory accessibility training for selection board members and employees at all levels. Two new positions were created and funded in support of accessibility.

Along with the plan, internal and external feedback mechanisms were developed to help solicit, manage, and address accessibility-related feedback from CRTC employees and Canadians in a timely manner.

Digital by design

The CRTC continued to review new and existing business processes to make them digital by design as opposed to adapting them to fit legacy systems and technologies. In support of this goal, it automated and integrated internal systems by using a shared platform that is secure, scalable and accessible. The CRTC also continued to expand the use of data analysis/visualization platforms to improve the quality of and access to data in support of decision making.

Hybrid work model

In support of its Return to the Office plan, the CRTC equipped its workspaces and boardrooms with modern IT equipment to enable a hybrid workforce where employees can collaborate regardless of where they are working. The CRTC also implemented new tools such as an online workspace reservation system to support worksite planning and maximize space usage.

Transformation to integrated SAP solution

The CRTC completed the migration of the integrated SAP solution with the successful implementation of the Salary Forecasting Tool.

The CRTC continued to improve and create efficiencies in its processes by optimizing the use of SAP functionalities. These improvements will ensure a strong governance model and alignment with the approved direction of the Financial Management Transformation Strategy to achieve open and transparent government and better services for Canadians by streamlining and automating its internal services.

Contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses

The Government of Canada is committed to reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and to improving socio‑economic outcomes by increasing opportunities for First Nations, Inuit and Métis businesses through the federal procurement process.

Under the Directive on the Management of Procurement, which came into effect on May 13, 2021, departments must ensure that a minimum of 5% of the total value of the contracts they award are held by Indigenous businesses. This requirement is being phased in over three years, and full implementation is expected by 2024.

Indigenous Services Canada has set the implementation schedule:

• Phase 1 departments: April 1, 2022, to March 31, 2023
• Phase 2 departments: April 1, 2023, to March 31, 2024
• Phase 3 departments: April 1, 2024, to March 31, 2025

CRTC is a Phase 1 department. In its 2023–24 Departmental Plan, the department forecasted that, by the end of 2022–23, it would award 5% of the total value of its contracts to Indigenous businesses.

As shown in the following table, the CRTC awarded 2.12 % of the total value of its contracts to Indigenous businesses in 2022–23.

During the 2022-23 fiscal year, the Procurement team was undergoing organizational change and had minimal capacity.

The CRTC has taken the first steps in its approach to ensure that 5% of the total value of awarded contracts go to Indigenous businesses. The Procurement team has identified sectors and projects that it will guide toward Indigenous businesses. It has begun to collect information on what goods and services can be procured from Indigenous businesses depending on the CRTC’s needs.

The CRTC’s IT sector has actively searched for authorized Indigenous resellers. Frequently acquired goods and services will be transferred to these authorized resellers to keep consistent procurement practices with Indigenous suppliers.

2022-2023 was Phase 1 of the CRTC’s approach. The CRTC will be taking a more aggressive approach to identifying opportunities to award contracts to Indigenous businesses in Phase 2.

Budgetary financial resources (dollars)

The following table shows, for internal services, budgetary spending for 2022–23, as well as spending for that year.

Human resources (full-time equivalents)

The following table shows, in full-time equivalents, the human resources the department needed to carry out its internal services for 2022–23.

Spending and human resources

Spending

The following graph presents planned (voted and statutory spending) over time.

Table version

Fiscal year	2020–21	2021–22	2022–23	2023–24	2024–25	2025–26
Statutory	7,945,025	7,836,167	8,290,627	9,933,271	9,357,881	9,357,881
Voted and Vote-netted revenue	64,432,294	65,510,839	68,771,502	82,717,812	78,705,675	78,705,675
Total	72,377,319	73,347,006	77,062,129	92,651,083	88,063,556	88,063,556

Total spending pertains to expenditures incurred by the CRTC in relation to all funding authorities approved during the fiscal year. Funding authorities include all parliamentary appropriations and revenue sources: Main Estimates, Supplementary Estimates, Treasury Board Vote transfers (including the operating budget carry forward and compensations for the ratification of collective agreements), and revenues from broadcasting licence fees, telecommunications fees and unsolicited telecommunications fees.

The actual spending for fiscal years 2020–21 to 2022–23 reflects the actual expenditures as reported in the Public Accounts of Canada. The increase in actual spending between 2021–22 and 2022–23 is mainly attributable to an increase in salaries due to the ratification of collective agreements, including retroactive payments, and incremental IT expenditures.

The planned spending from 2023–24 to 2025–26 is presented according to the CRTC’s 2023–24 Departmental Plan. It reflects approved funding by the Treasury Board to support the CRTC’s programs, including activities for implementing the Online News Act in 2023–24 and increased telecommunications regulatory-related activities.

The actual spending for fiscal years 2020–21 to 2022–23 reflects the actual expenditures as reported in the Public Accounts of Canada. The increase in actual spending between 2021–22 and 2022–23 is mainly attributable to an increase in salaries due to the ratification of collective agreements, including retroactive payments. It is also due to incremental IT expenditures (such as software, equipment, maintenance and infrastructure) that resulted from the SAP implementation and the upcoming hiring of employees to implement the Online Streaming Act and the Online News Act.

The planned spending for 2023–24 and 2024–25 is presented according to the CRTC’s 2023–24 Departmental Plan. It reflects approved funding by the Treasury Board to support the CRTC’s programs, including activities for implementing the Online News Act in 2023–24 and increased telecommunications regulatory-related activities. Other items such as salary adjustments for the ratification of collective agreements and carry-forward adjustments are currently unknown. Therefore, none of these adjustments are reflected.

The planned spending for 2023–24 is higher than 2022–23 due to reprofiled funding to implement the Online Streaming Act and additional authorities to implement the Online News Act available in 2023–24.

2022–23 Budgetary actual gross spending summary (dollars)

The following table reconciles gross planned spending with net spending for 2022–23.

The CRTC’s revenues come from fees recovered pursuant to fee regulations established under the authority of the Broadcasting Act^{Endnote vi} and the Telecommunications Act. ^{Endnote vii} These fees and the associated regulations are as follows:

• Part I broadcasting licence fees (Broadcasting Licence Fee Regulations, 1997); ^{Endnote viii}
• Annual telecommunications fees (Telecommunications Fees Regulations, 2010); ^{Endnote ix} and
• Unsolicited telecommunications fees for compliance and enforcement activities related to the National Do Not Call List (DNCL) (Unsolicited Telecommunications Fees Regulations). ^{Endnote x}

Human resources

The “Human resources summary for core responsibilities and internal services” table presents the full-time equivalents (FTEs) allocated to each of the CRTC’s core responsibilities and to internal services.

Planned full-time equivalents (FTEs) for 2023–24 and 2024–25 are presented according to the CRTC’s 2023–24 Departmental Plan.

The decrease in full-time equivalents between fiscal years 2021–22 and 2022–23 is attributable to the departure of a few employees, which was partially offset by new hiring.

Expenditures by vote

For information on the CRTC’s organizational voted and statutory expenditures, consult the Public Accounts of Canada^{Endnote xi}.

Government of Canada spending and activities

Information on the alignment of the CRTC’s spending with Government of Canada’s spending and activities is available in GC InfoBase^{Endnote xii}.

Financial statements and financial statements highlights

Financial statements

The CRTC’s financial statements (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2022, are available on the departmental website.^{Endnote xiii}

Financial statement highlights

Condensed Statement of Operations (unaudited) for the year ended March 31, 2023 (dollars)

Revenues

Revenues collected in 2022-23 totaled $209.3 million ($147.3 million + $62.0 million), a net increase of $13.3 million when compared to the total revenues collected in 2021-22. The increase is attributable to the increase in telecommunications fees collected during 2022-23 compared to 2021-22, mainly due to an increase in the CRTC spending authorities for telecommunications-related activities, items taken into account in the formula to determine fees resulted in an increase in fees charged to the industry in 2022-23.

Expenses

Expenses in 2022-23 totaled $84.4 million, an increase of $4.7 million when compared to 2021‑22 total expenses. The increase is mainly attributable to an increase in salaries ($2.1 million) and to an increase in non-salary items ($2.6 million).

Condensed Statement of Financial Position (unaudited) as of March 31, 2023 (dollars)

The 2022–23 planned results information is provided in CRTC’s Future-Oriented Statement of Operations and Notes 2022–23. [link to department’s FOSO]^{Endnote xv}

Assets

Assets in 2022-23 totaled $10 million, which is a slight decrease of $0.2 million when compared to 2021‑22 total assets.

Liabilities

Liabilities in 2022-23 totaled $14.2 million, which is an increase of $2.8 million when compared to 2021-22 total liabilities. The increase is mainly attributable to an increase in accounts payable.

Corporate Information

Organizational profile

Appropriate minister[s]: The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage, P.C., M.P.

Institutional head: Vicky Eatrides, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer

Ministerial portfolio: Canadian Heritage

Enabling instrument[s]:

• Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Act^{Endnote xvi}
• Bell Canada Act^{Endnote xvii}
• Broadcasting Act^{Endnote xviii}
• Telecommunications Act^{Endnote xix}
• Canada Elections Act^{Endnote xx}
• An Act to promote the efficiency and adaptability of the Canadian economy by regulating certain activities that discourage reliance on electronic means of carrying out commercial activities, and to amend the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission Act, the Competition Act, the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act, and the Telecommunications Act^{Endnote xxi}, referred to as “Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation” or “CASL” in this document.

Year of incorporation / commencement: 1968

Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do

“Raison d’être, mandate and role: who we are and what we do” is available on CRTC’s website^{Endnote xxii}.

Operating context

Information on the operating context is available on CRTC’s website^{Endnote xxiii}.

Reporting framework

CRTC’s Departmental Results Framework and Program Inventory of record for 2022–23 are shown below.

Supporting information on the program inventory

Financial, human resources and performance information for the CRTC’s Program Inventory is available in GC InfoBase^{Endnote xxiv}.

Supplementary information tables

The following supplementary information tables are available on the CRTC’s website:

• Reporting on Green Procurement^{Endnote xxv}
• Gender-based analysis plus^{Endnote xxvi}
• United Nations 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals^{Endnote xxvii}

Federal tax expenditures

The tax system can be used to achieve public policy objectives through the application of special measures such as low tax rates, exemptions, deductions, deferrals and credits. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for these measures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures^{Endnote xxviii}. This report also provides detailed background information on tax expenditures, including descriptions, objectives, historical information and references to related federal spending programs as well as evaluations and GBA Plus of tax expenditures.

Organizational contact information

Mailing address:

CRTC Central Office

Les Terrasses de la Chaudière
Central Building
1 Promenade du Portage
Gatineau, Quebec J8X 4B1

or

Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0N2

Telephone:

In Canada:
Toll-free: 1-877-249-CRTC (2782)
Toll-free TTY line: 1-877-909-CRTC (2782)

Outside Canada:
819-997-0313
TTY line: 819-994-0423

Fax: 819-994-0218

Website: https://www.crtc.gc.ca^{Endnote xxix}

Appendix: definitions

appropriation (crédit)

Any authority of Parliament to pay money out of the Consolidated Revenue Fund.

budgetary expenditures (dépenses budgétaires)

Operating and capital expenditures; transfer payments to other levels of government, organizations or individuals; and payments to Crown corporations.

core responsibility (responsabilité essentielle)

An enduring function or role performed by a department. The intentions of the department with respect to a core responsibility are reflected in one or more related departmental results that the department seeks to contribute to or influence.

Departmental Plan (plan ministériel)

A report on the plans and expected performance of an appropriated department over a 3-year period. Departmental Plans are usually tabled in Parliament each spring.

departmental priority (priorité)

A plan or project that a department has chosen to focus and report on during the planning period. Priorities represent the things that are most important or what must be done first to support the achievement of the desired departmental results.

departmental result (résultat ministériel)

A consequence or outcome that a department seeks to achieve. A departmental result is often outside departments’ immediate control, but it should be influenced by program-level outcomes.

departmental result indicator (indicateur de résultat ministériel)

A quantitative measure of progress on a departmental result.

departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)

A framework that connects the department’s core responsibilities to its departmental results and departmental result indicators.

Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)

A report on a department’s actual accomplishments against the plans, priorities and expected results set out in the corresponding Departmental Plan.

full-time equivalent (équivalent temps plein)

A measure of the extent to which an employee represents a full person-year charge against a departmental budget. For a particular position, the full-time equivalent figure is the ratio of number of hours the person actually works divided by the standard number of hours set out in the person’s collective agreement.

gender-based analysis plus (GBA Plus) (analyse comparative entre les sexes plus [ACS Plus])

An analytical tool used to support the development of responsive and inclusive policies, programs and other initiatives; and understand how factors such as sex, race, national and ethnic origin, Indigenous origin or identity, age, sexual orientation, socio-economic conditions, geography, culture and disability, impact experiences and outcomes, and can affect access to and experience of government programs.

government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)

For the purpose of the 2021–22 Departmental Results Report, government-wide priorities refers to those high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2020 Speech from the Throne, namely: Protecting Canadians from COVID-19; Helping Canadians through the pandemic; Building back better – a resiliency agenda for the middle class; The Canada we’re fighting for.

horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)

An initiative where two or more federal organizations are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.

non-budgetary expenditures (dépenses non budgétaires)

Net outlays and receipts related to loans, investments and advances, which change the composition of the financial assets of the Government of Canada.

performance (rendement)

What an organization did with its resources to achieve its results, how well those results compare to what the organization intended to achieve, and how well lessons learned have been identified.

performance indicator (indicateur de rendement)

A qualitative or quantitative means of measuring an output or outcome, with the intention of gauging the performance of an organization, program, policy or initiative respecting expected results.

performance reporting (production de rapports sur le rendement)

The process of communicating evidence-based performance information. Performance reporting supports decision making, accountability and transparency.

plan (plan)

The articulation of strategic choices, which provides information on how an organization intends to achieve its priorities and associated results. Generally, a plan will explain the logic behind the strategies chosen and tend to focus on actions that lead to the expected result.

planned spending (dépenses prévues)

For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in Main Estimates.

A department is expected to be aware of the authorities that it has sought and received. The determination of planned spending is a departmental responsibility, and departments must be able to defend the expenditure and accrual numbers presented in their Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports.

program (programme)

Individual or groups of services, activities or combinations thereof that are managed together within the department and focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.

program inventory (répertoire des programmes)

Identifies all the department’s programs and describes how resources are organized to contribute to the department’s core responsibilities and results.

result (résultat)

A consequence attributed, in part, to an organization, policy, program or initiative. Results are not within the control of a single organization, policy, program or initiative; instead they are within the area of the organization’s influence.

statutory expenditures (dépenses législatives)

Expenditures that Parliament has approved through legislation other than appropriation acts. The legislation sets out the purpose of the expenditures and the terms and conditions under which they may be made.

target (cible)

A measurable performance or success level that an organization, program or initiative plans to achieve within a specified time period. Targets can be either quantitative or qualitative.

voted expenditures (dépenses votées)

Expenditures that Parliament approves annually through an appropriation act. The vote wording becomes the governing conditions under which these expenditures may be made.