Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission 2024–25 Departmental Plan
© His Majesty the King in Right of Canada, as represented by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, 2024
Catalogue No. BC9-26E-PDF
ISSN 2371-8463
On this page
From the Minister
The organizations in the Canadian Heritage portfolio work in a variety of sectors to help the government build a better society. In the coming year, they will draw on their expertise and creativity to advance key priorities in inclusion, diversity, equity and accessibility, reconciliation with Indigenous peoples and practices to reach our sustainable development goals.
Over the next year, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) will continue to prioritize regulations and the supervision of the Canada’s communications system in the public interest. It will continue to focus on ensuring all Canadians have access to reliable, affordable, and high-quality internet and cellphone services.
Specifically, this year the CRTC will support the modernization of the Broadcasting Act and ensure the broadcasting systems in place continue to promote the creation and sharing of Canadian and Indigenous stories and music.
Through the Broadband Fund, the CRTC will help close the digital dived by allowing remote and rural communities to gain access to health care, education, government services and public safety.
With the adoption of the Online News Act, the CRTC will take the necessary steps to establish the regulation framework as mandated by the Act.
As Minister of Canadian Heritage, I am pleased to present the 2024 – 25 Departmental Plan prepared by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission. It outlines how this organization plans to fulfil its mandate and help move Canadian society forward.
The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Canadian Heritage, P.C., M.P.
From the Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer
On behalf of the CRTC, I am pleased to present the 2024-25 Departmental Plan.
The CRTC is an independent, quasi-judicial tribunal that regulates and supervises broadcasting and telecommunications in the public interest. 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.
The CRTC is keeping a sharp focus on delivering results for Canadians while looking ahead to the future. To achieve our goals in the coming year, this means promoting competition to deliver reliable and high-quality Internet and cellphone services to Canadians at affordable prices, modernizing Canada’s broadcasting framework to promote Canadian and Indigenous content and improving the CRTC to better serve Canadians.
We are committed to moving quickly and transparently, given the impact our decisions have on consumers, businesses and the Canadian economy. We will continue to consult broadly and make our decisions based on robust public records.
We look forward to continuing to work with stakeholders and partners over the coming year.
Vicky Eatrides, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer
Plans to deliver on core responsibilities and internal services
Core responsibilities and internal services:
- Regulate and Supervise the Communications System
- Internal services
Regulate and Supervise the Communications System
In this section
Description
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (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 communication system; approves mergers, acquisitions and changes of ownership of broadcasting distribution undertakings; approves tariffs and agreements for certain telecommunication 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.
Quality of life impacts
The CRTC’s core responsibility contributes to three domains of the Quality of Life Framework for Canada: “Prosperity,” “Society” and “Good governance.” More specifically, the CRTC contributes to “Access to high-speed Internet,” “Sense of Pride/belonging to Canada,” “Personal safety” and “Indigenous self-determination” through the activities it does to regulate and supervise Canada’s communications system.
Results and targets
The following tables show, for each departmental result related to Regulate and Supervise the Communications System, the indicators, the results from the three most recently reported fiscal years, the targets and target dates approved in 2024 – 25.
| Indicator | [2020 – 2021] result | [2021 – 2022] result | [2022 – 2023] result | Target | Date to achieve |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total investment in Canadian television programming production | $4.1B | $4.1B | 4.67Bfootnote 1 | Between $4.0 and $4.5B | March 2025 |
| Indicator | [2020 – 2021] result | [2021 – 2022] result | [2022 – 2023] result | Target | Date to achieve |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % of households that have access to fixed broadband Internet access servicesfootnote 2 | 89.5% | 91.2% | 91.9%footnote 3 | 100% | December 2031 |
| % of households that have access to the latest generally deployed mobile wireless technologyfootnote 4 | 99.54% | 99.4% | 99.4%footnote 5 | 100% | December 2026 |
| % of total fixed broadband subscriptions that are high capacity network connectionsfootnote 6 compared to the OECD average | 6.7 percentage point lead | 4.8 percentage point lead | 7.63 percentage point leadfootnote 7 | At least a 7.9 percentage point leadfootnote 8 | December 2024 |
| Indicator | [2020 – 2021] result | [2021 – 2022] result | [2022 – 2023] result | Target | Date to achieve |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % of organizations that remain compliant within three years after compliance / enforcement action is taken on unsolicited commercial communicationsfootnote 9 | 100% | At least 80% | March 2025 | ||
| % of broadcasting undertakings participating in public alerting system | 96.7% | 96.4% | 96.99% | 100%footnote 10 | March 2025 |
| % of Canadian subscribers with access to public alerting through wireless service providers | 99.97% | 99.98% | 99.99% | 100%footnote 11 | March 2025 |
| % of facilities-based telecommunications service providers that are compliant with obligations associated with ensuring all 911 communications made by Canadians are delivered to Public Safety Answering Pointsfootnote 12 | 100% | March 2025 |
| Indicator | [2020 – 2021] result | [2021 – 2022] result | [2022 – 2023] result | Target | Date to achieve |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % of decisions on telecom and broadcasting applications (Part 1) issued within four months of the close of record | 71% | 59% | 73% | At least 75% | March 2025 |
| Number of decisions overturned on judicial appeal related to procedural fairness | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | March 2025 |
The financial, human resources and performance information for the CRTC’s program inventory is available on GC InfoBase.
Plans to achieve results
In support of all four key results, the CRTC will continue to publish the Communications Market Reports (CMR), compiled from the data it collects from the industry and other sources. The CRTC will also continue to regularly participate in international fora and events, and collaborate with its international regulatory counterparts to exchange best practices on issues of common interest. The CRTC will also partner with other government departments whose mandates intersect with its own. Initiatives include the Canadian Digital Regulators’ Forum, which is comprised of the Competition Bureau, the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada and the CRTC. The Forum aims to better serve Canadians in the digital era.
Departmental Result 1: “Canadian content is created”
In 2024-25, the CRTC will continue the process to modernize Canada’s broadcasting framework to promote and support Canadian and Indigenous content.
The CRTC will work to ensure that Canadians have access to compelling content from multiple sources on a variety of platforms. The CRTC will continue to work toward its goal of supporting a modern, diverse and robust broadcasting sector, including in online content.
Implement the amended Broadcasting Act
In 2024-25, the CRTC will continue its multi-year plan to implement the amended Broadcasting Act. A modernized Broadcasting Act will help ensure that Canadian and Indigenous audio and audiovisual content is widely available throughout the Canadian broadcasting system. As part of its plan, the CRTC will hold consultations on a wide range of issues, including on the definitions of Canadian and Indigenous content, and accessibility for persons with disabilities. In 2024-25, the CRTC will also issue its first decision on who should contribute to the creation and promotion of Canadian content and Indigenous content, how much should be contributed, and how the contributions should be allocated.
Implement the Online News Act
Canadians can get their news online through digital platforms. Recognizing this changing environment and the critical role of news and journalism for a healthy democracy, the Government of Canada introduced the Online News Act. The Act creates a bargaining framework to ensure that platforms compensate news businesses when their content is made available on their services. In 2024-25, the CRTC will oversee the implementation and administration of the Act, in accordance with its mandate.
Co-develop the Indigenous Broadcasting Policy
The CRTC is committed to upholding the Government of Canada’s commitment to advance reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. In 2024-25, the CRTC will continue its three-phase proceeding to co-develop a new Indigenous Broadcasting Policy with Indigenous broadcasters, content creators and audiences. The renewed framework will be anchored in self-determinacy and will support the creation, presentation and discoverability of Indigenous content throughout the broadcasting system.
Departmental Result 2: “Canadians are connected to world-class communications services”
In 2024-25, the CRTC will continue to promote competition to deliver reliable and high-quality Internet and cellphone services to Canadians at affordable prices while supporting investment in high-quality networks.
Promote choice, affordability, and high-quality cellphone and wireless services
The CRTC will continue to promote competition in the cellphone services market to help deliver more affordable cellphone plans to Canadians, while supporting investment in high-quality networks.
In 2023-24, the CRTC established rules that allow regional cellphone competitors to compete across Canada as mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) using the networks of large cellphone companies. With this access, regional providers can offer Canadians more choice in parts of Canada they do not already serve. However, providers who use this access must also build out their own networks in those areas within seven years. In 2024-25, the CRTC will continue to monitor the impact of these changes to determine whether further regulatory intervention is needed, including helping regional cellphone competitors and large cellphone companies reach agreements. The CRTC will also determine whether emerging retail markets such as Internet of Things or machine-to-machine (M2M) services should be included in the CRTC’s MVNO framework to reduce barriers to competition and increase overall wireless competition.
In 2024-25, the CRTC will also monitor the impact of recent changes to roaming services to ensure that these changes continue to encourage investment in infrastructure and help reduce dropped calls and interrupted data use. The CRTC will also undertake a study of international roaming fees to ensure the fees that Canadians pay are fair.
Enhance competition to deliver high-quality Internet services
In 2024-25, the CRTC will continue its major public proceeding to improve Internet services competition. The proceeding, which features a public hearing to be held in February 2024, will include 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. This proceeding will also examine the rates that competitors pay when selling services over large telephone and cable networks. As the CRTC’s review advances, Canadians can expect continued action to increase choice and affordability, while supporting investment in high-quality networks.
Improve reliability and affordability to connect all Canadians
No matter where they live, Canadians need reliable, affordable, and high-quality Internet and cellphone services for every part of their daily lives. Through the Broadband Fund, the CRTC contributes to a broad effort by federal, provincial and territorial governments to support projects that improve access to these services in rural, remote and Indigenous communities across Canada.
In 2023-24, the CRTC received over 100 applications seeking $1.9 billion in funding through its third call for applications to the Broadband Fund. In 2024-25, the CRTC will move quickly to make decisions on these projects. Through an ongoing policy review of the Broadband Fund, the CRTC will also consider how to make the application process faster and easier, whether to create a new application stream for Indigenous communities and whether to include projects that will increase the reliability of rural and remote networks.
The CRTC will also take action to make telecommunications services in the Far North more affordable, reliable and competitive, and to better support reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples. The CRTC will continue its work to enhance the resilience and reliability of telecommunications networks across the country. This includes continuing to examine requirements for reporting major service outages and future consultations on consumer communication and compensation requirements.
Pursue Measuring Broadband Canada
The Measuring Broadband Canada project (MBC) measures actual connection speeds in Canadian homes to ensure consumers are getting the Internet speeds they purchased. In 2024-25, the CRTC, in collaboration with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), will pursue the third phase of the MBC with a focus on the performance of fixed wireless Internet services with download speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) provided to Canadian homes.footnote 13
Review Video Relay Service to enhance accessibility
The CRTC remains dedicated to ensuring that all persons in Canada have barrier-free access to telecommunications services. In 2024-25, the CRTC will complete its review of the regulations for video relay service (VRS) in Canada to ensure the service continues to evolve to meet the needs of Canadians whose first language is sign language.
Departmental Result 3: “Canadians are protected within the communications system”
The safety and wellbeing of Canadians is central to the CRTC’s key priority of delivering competitive, reliable and high-quality telecommunications services at affordable prices.
Canadians must be able to trust their Internet, cellphone and telephone services. In 2024-25, the CRTC will continue its work to protect Canadians from scam communications, like online spam and nuisance phone calls.
Protect consumers
In 2024-25, the CRTC will examine and monitor the implementation of technical solutions to maintain trusted telecommunications networks for Canadians.
As part of its work, the CRTC will continue to advance rules to authorize Canadian carriers to block botnets and other cyber-related threats at the network level, including spam and ransomware attacks.
The CRTC will also continue its work with Canadian carriers to prevent nuisance calls and text messages by examining ways to disrupt these types of invasive communications to Canadians. Working together will enable the CRTC and Canadian carriers to play an important role in reducing nuisance activities in the marketplace.
Improve 9-1-1 telecommunication services
The CRTC is advancing next-generation 9-1-1 (NG9-1-1). NG9-1-1 will provide access to new and innovative emergency services and tools that will enhance the safety of all Canadians. In 2024-25, the CRTC will continue to monitor the transition to NG9-1-1 and address implementation issues that may arise. The CRTC will also continue to improve access to emergency services to ensure that, whether from a hotel, office or school, 9-1-1 can be dialed directly and crucial information such as caller location and number can be used to more quickly help Canadians.
Departmental Result 4: “Proceedings related to the regulation of the communications system are efficient and fair”
In 2024-25, the CRTC will continue to improve to better serve Canadians.
At the heart of the CRTC’s role as Canada’s communications regulator are public proceedings that are efficient, fair, open and transparent. The CRTC consults on broadcasting and telecommunications matters to gather views and evidence that form the public record. Those public records form the basis of the CRTC’s deliberations and decisions. In 2024-25, the CRTC will develop new and improved ways to engage with Canadians to ensure broad and inclusive participation in its proceedings. This will include exploring new and improved ways to fund public interest participation.
Establish the Indigenous Relations Team
The CRTC established an Indigenous Relations Team (IRT)footnote 14 in late 2023. To advance reconciliation, in 2024-25, the IRT will begin to offer a single point of contact focused on building and maintaining meaningful relationships with First Nations, Métis and Inuit communities and interested parties based on mutual respect and trust. The IRT will work with these communities to identify CRTC regulatory processes that may be of interest to Indigenous communities and to facilitate their participation.
In 2024-25, the IRT will officially launch with a dedicated website and points of contact. The team will focus on building a network of Indigenous communities, organizations, individuals and industry partners and on establishing Indigenous discussion groups to support this work.
Enhance consultations with OLMCs
The CRTC will take measures to enhance the vitality of OLMCs, and support and assist their development. The CRTC will also enhance its engagement with OLMCs and make sure that they are consulted in decisions that may affect them.
Engage with equity-deserving groups
Recognizing the challenges faced by certain Canadians and communities, in 2024-25, the CRTC will continue to engage with equity-deserving groups to maintain the fairness of its proceedings. This engagement will ensure that the evidence and views of equity-deserving groups are part of the public record of proceedings that may affect them. The CRTC will consider diversity, equity and inclusion when developing its regulatory policies.
Key risks
The broadcasting and telecommunications environments are characterized by intense change. The CRTC has been given an expanded mandate and is being called on to rework its rules and regulations, 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.
Snapshot of planned resources in 2024 – 25
- Planned spending: $80,828,146 (Net planned spending: $14,240,874)
- Planned full-time resources: 475
Related government priorities
Gender-based analysis plus
The CRTC will continue efforts to improve its understanding of the needs of all Canadians by ensuring that its staff have access to the evergreen CRTC GBA Plus Tool. This tool is designed to help ensure inclusion and diversity is first and foremost in the thinking of its staff.
United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the UN Sustainable Development Goals
The CRTC is working 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.”
In 2024-25, the CRTC will also contribute to advancing UN Sustainable Development Goal 10: Reduce inequalityfootnote 15 through key regulatory policies and initiatives, including the following:
- co-development of the new Indigenous Broadcasting Policy;
- establishment of the Indigenous Relations Team;
- implementation of the amended Broadcasting Act: the CRTC will actively engage with Indigenous Peoples during the implementation process and will consider diversity, equity and inclusion when developing its regulatory policies;
- review of the Broadband Fund;
- review of telecommunications services in the Far North;
- review of the Video Relay Service to enhance accessibility; and
- development of rules for described video and audio description that allow viewers to equitably access programming, regardless of the platform.
More information on the CRTC’s contributions to Canada’s Federal Implementation Plan on the 2030 Agenda and the Federal Sustainable Development Strategy can be found in our Departmental Sustainable Development Strategy.
Program inventory
“Regulate and supervise the communications system” is supported by the following programs:
- Support for Canadian content creation
- Connection to the communications system
- Protection within the communications system
Supporting information on planned expenditures, human resources, and results related to the CRTC’s program inventory is available on GC Infobase.
Internal services
In this section
Description
Internal services are the services that are provided within a department so that it can meet its corporate obligations and deliver its programs. There are 10 categories of internal services:
- management and oversight services
- communications services
- legal services
- human resources management services
- financial management services
- information management services
- information technology services
- real property management services
- materiel management services
- acquisition management services
Plans to achieve results
Accessibility
In 2024-25, the CRTC will implement the remaining commitments made in its 2023-25 Accessibility Plan. Many of these initiatives aim to make CRTC services and consultations accessible to more Canadians. The Plan also includes initiatives to make the workplace more inclusive and barrier-free. Led by a new Accessibility team, the CRTC will continue to adapt the workplace to meet the evolving needs of all its employees. Among other priorities, the CRTC will review its accommodation process to make it more visible, clear, user-friendly and timely, as well as to incorporate the use of the Accessibility Passport and adopt a more holistic, coordinated case management approach. In support of its Accessibility Plan, the CRTC will also continue to increase the accessibility of existing IT systems and ensure that new systems are accessible by design.
Diversity and inclusion, and a healthy working environment
As the CRTC grows to meet its new mandates, it will take action to maintain a diverse and healthy workplace free of racism and discrimination.
The CRTC will continue to plan the launch of its Employment Systems Review with the intent of having it inform its forward-looking Employment Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Plan. This review will examine the impact of strategies that support recent Public Service Employment Act changes and identify any additional biases and barriers in the CRTC’s hiring and internal people management processes.
With the three-year anniversary of the coming into force of the Work Place Harassment and Violence Prevention Regulations, the CRTC will re-assess the psychological hazards in the workplace, review the CRTC Policy on Workplace Harassment and Violence Prevention and retrain all employees to ensure a safe and respectful environment for all.
Digital by design
The CRTC will continue to implement a digital organization by design. It will ensure that employees have the digital tools they need to work anywhere, any time and that business processes and tools are designed and reengineered to ensure accessibility, leverage technology and user design, and address privacy and security risks.
The CRTC will enable the integration of technology and business processes by continuing to rethink and reengineer how it should be doing business in a digital age. This work will include assessing any changes required to applications, data collection tools and processes to support the implementation of the amended Broadcasting Act and the Online News Act.
Hybrid work model
The CRTC will continue to work to enable a hybrid workforce where employees can work together regardless of where they are physically located day to day. To ensure better access to information and data, the CRTC will implement digitally enabled business processes and business intelligence tools, and continue digitizing and cataloguing the CRTC’s existing paper records.
Snapshot of planned resources in 2024-25
- Planned spending: $24,006,358 (Net planned spending: $3,774,274)
- Planned full-time resources: 175
Related government priorities
Planning for contracts awarded to Indigenous businesses
The CRTC is committed to economic reconciliation with Indigenous Peoples and will contribute to improved socio-economic outcomes by increasing opportunities for First Nations, Inuit and Métis businesses through the federal procurement process.
The CRTC’s procurement framework has recently been updated. Employees must now verify if their requested goods or services are available through Indigenous businesses, using supply arrangements and standing offers, set-asides and the Indigenous Business Directory.
The CRTC will also continue to monitor and use new and evolving procurement tools that pertain to Indigenous businesses, including standing offers, supply arrangements, standard clauses, and templates created by Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) and Shared Services Canada (SSC).
The CRTC’s IT sector has been actively communicating with Indigenous suppliers to request that they carry certain goods and services it may require.
In 2023-24, the CRTC began consulting with Indigenous Link, an Indigenous-led firm, to bring CRTC public consultations to the attention of Indigenous Peoples and communities across Canada. This ongoing initiative will be revisited in collaboration with Indigenous Link to identify and act on lessons learned.
In 2024-25, the CRTC will continue planning for the hiring of an Indigenous-led event planning firm to assist with the public consultation for the co-development of a new Indigenous Broadcasting Policy. Activities may include Indigenous-led community gatherings, industry information sessions and a potential Indigenous Broadcasting Conference. The work of the firm will ensure that the views of Indigenous Peoples and of the broadcasting industry, with a focus on the Indigenous broadcasting industry, are included in this process.
Throughout the co-development of the new Indigenous Broadcasting Policy, the CRTC is also working with Indigenous translators to ensure materials are available in Indigenous languages.
| 5% reporting field | 2022-23 actual result | 2023-24 forecasted result | 2024-25 planned result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total percentage of contracts with Indigenous businesses | 2.1% | 2.9% | 5% |
Planned spending and human resources
This section provides an overview of the CRTC’s planned spending and human resources for the next three fiscal years and compares planned spending for 2024 – 25 with actual spending from previous years.
Spending
Table 5: Actual spending summary for core responsibilities and internal services ($ dollars)
The following table shows information on spending for each of the CRTC’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the previous three fiscal years. Amounts for the current fiscal year are forecasted based on spending to date.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | [2021 – 2022] actual expenditures | [2022 – 2023] actual expenditures | [2023 – 2024] forecast spending |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulate and Supervise the Communication System | 55,639,810 | 58,713,881 | 73,435,624 |
| Subtotal | 55,639,810 | 58,713,881 | 73,435,624 |
| Internal services | 17,707,196 | 18,348,248 | 23,127,855 |
| Total | 73,347,006 | 77,062,129 | 96,563,479 |
| Revenues netted against spending | 59,367,925 | 62,036,560 | 77,129,802 |
| Net spending | 13,979,081 | 15,025,569 | 19,433,677 |
For fiscal years 2021 – 22 to 2022 – 23, spending represents the actual expenditures as reported in the Public Accounts of Canada.
The increase in forecast spending in 2023 – 24 over 2022 – 23 is due to preparations for implementing amendments to the Broadcasting Act, the continuation of preliminary work for implementing the Online News Act, and telecommunications-related activities.
Table 6: Budgetary planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services (dollars)
The following table shows information on spending for each of the CRTC’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the upcoming three fiscal years.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | [2024-25] budgetary spending (as indicated in Main Estimates) | [2024-25] planned spending | [2025-26] planned spending | [2026-27] planned spending |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regulate and Supervise the Communication System | 80,828,146 | 80,828,146 | 79,458,350 | 78,789,937 |
| Subtotal | 80,828,146 | 80,828,146 | 79,458,350 | 78,789,937 |
| Internal services | 24,006,358 | 24,006,358 | 23,883,840 | 23,850,498 |
| Total | 104,834,504 | 104,834,504 | 103,342,190 | 102,640,435 |
| Revenues netted against spending | 86,819,356 | 86,819,356 | 88,337,255 | 87,630,013 |
| Net spending | 18,015,148 | 18,015,148 | 15,004,935 | 15,010,422 |
Planned spending for fiscal years 2024 – 25 to 2026 – 27 corresponds to the Main Estimates.
The decrease in planned spending in 2025 – 26, compared to 2024 – 25, is attributable to the reprofiled funding to continue the preliminary work to implement the Online News Act. The funding sunsets in 2024 – 25.
At this time, there are no incremental amounts approved above the Main Estimates levels. Supplementary funding for items such as legislated amendments, salary adjustments for ratified collective agreements and carry-forward adjustments are currently unknown and, therefore, not reflected.
Table 7: 2024 – 25 budgetary gross and net planned spending summary (dollars)
The following table reconciles gross planned spending with net planned spending for 2024 – 25.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | [2024-25] gross planned spending (dollars) | [2024-25] planned revenues netted against spending (dollars) | [2024-25] planned net spending (dollars) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulate and Supervise the Communication System | 80,828,146 | 66,587,272 | 14,240,874 |
| Subtotal | 80,828,146 | 66,587,272 | 14,240,874 |
| Internal services | 24,006,358 | 20,232,084 | 3,774,274 |
| Total | 104,834,504 | 86,819,356 | 18,015,148 |
The CRTC’s revenues come from fees recovered pursuant to fee regulations established under the authority of the Broadcasting Act and the Telecommunications Act. These fees and the associated regulations are as follows:
- Broadcasting fees (Broadcasting Fees Regulations(pending approval);
- Annual telecommunications fees (Telecommunications Fees Regulations, 2010); and
- Unsolicited telecommunications fees for compliance and enforcement activities related to the National Do Not Call List (Unsolicited Telecommunications Fees Regulations).
The CRTC is then authorized to apply these revenues toward costs incurred for corresponding regulatory activities.
Funding
Figure 1: Departmental spending 2021 – 22 to 2026 – 27
The following graph presents planned spending (voted and statutory expenditures) over time.
Long description
| 2021-22 | 2022-23 | 2023-24 | 2024-25 | 2025-26 | 2026-27 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Statutory | 7,836,167 | 8,290,627 | 10,490,196 | 9,949,408 | 9,902,206 | 9,907,693 |
| Voted and Vote-netted revenues | 65,510,839 | 68,771,502 | 86,073,283 | 94,885,096 | 93,439,984 | 92,732,742 |
| Total | 73,347,006 | 77,062,129 | 96,563,479 | 104,834,504 | 103,342,190 | 102,640,435 |
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 respendable revenues from fees.
For fiscal years 2021 – 22 and 2022 – 23, expenditures are as reported in the Public Accounts of Canada. The CRTC forecasted spending in 2023 – 24, in comparison to 2022 – 23, shows an increase primarily due to preparations to implement amendments to the Broadcasting Act, the continuation of preliminary work to implement the Online News Act, and telecommunications-related activities.
For the period from 2024 – 25 to 2026 – 27, planned spending reflects approved funding by the Treasury Board to support the CRTC’s programs. The decrease in planned spending in 2025 – 26, compared to 2024 – 25, is attributable to the reprofiled funding to continue the preliminary work to implement the Online News Act. The funding sunsets in 2024 – 25.
Estimates by vote
Information on the CRTC’s organizational appropriations is available in the 2024 – 25 Main Estimates .
Future-oriented condensed statement of operations
The future-oriented condensed statement of operations provides an overview of the CRTC’s operations for 2023 – 24 to 2024 – 25.
The forecast and planned amounts in this statement of operations were prepared on an accrual basis. The forecast and planned amounts presented in other sections of the Departmental Plan were prepared on an expenditure basis. Amounts may therefore differ.
A more detailed future-oriented statement of operations and associated notes, including a reconciliation of the net cost of operations with the requested authorities, are available on the CRTC’s website.
| Financial information | [2023 – 24] forecast results | [2024 – 25] planned results | Difference ([2024 – 25] planned results minus [2023 – 24] forecast results) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total expenses | 105,269,708 | 114,860,066 | 9,590,358 |
| Total revenues | 77,129,802 | 86,819,356 | 9,689,554 |
| Net cost of operations before government funding and transfers | 28,139,906 | 28,040,710 | (99,196) |
The difference in expenses of $9.6 million (9.1%) in 2024 – 25, as compared to 2023 – 24, is the result of an increase in the CRTC’s activities attributable to telecommunications and broadcasting activities, particularly the implementation of the amendments to the Broadcasting Act and the Online News Act.
Human resources
Table 9: Actual human resources for core responsibilities and internal services
The following table shows a summary of human resources, in full-time equivalents (FTEs), for the CRTC’s core responsibilities and for its internal services for the previous three fiscal years. Human resources for the current fiscal year are forecasted based on year to date.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | [2021 – 22] actual FTEs | [2022 – 23] actual FTEs | [2023 – 24] forecasted FTEs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulate and Supervise the Communication System | 392 | 389 | 461 |
| Subtotal | 392 | 389 | 461 |
| Internal services | 146 | 142 | 170 |
| Total | 538 | 531 | 631 |
The substantial forecasted increase in full-time equivalents in 2023 – 24 over 2022 – 23 is attributable to staffing required to prepare for the implementation of amendments to the Broadcasting Act, to continue the preliminary work to implement the Online News Act and to cope with the increase in telecommunications-related activities.
Table 10: Human resources planning summary for core responsibilities and internal services
The following table shows information on human resources, in full-time equivalents (FTEs), for each of the CRTC’s core responsibilities and for its internal services planned for 2024 – 25 and future years.
| Core responsibilities and internal services | [2024 – 25] planned fulltime equivalents | [2025 – 26] planned fulltime equivalents | [2026 – 27] planned fulltime equivalents |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regulate and Supervise the Communication System | 475 | 484 | 484 |
| Subtotal | 475 | 484 | 484 |
| Internal services | 175 | 178 | 178 |
| Total | 650 | 662 | 662 |
The planned increase in full-time equivalents in 2024 – 25 to 2026 – 27 is due to the coming into force of amendments to the Broadcasting Act.
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
- Bell Canada Act
- Broadcasting Act
- Telecommunications Act
- Canada Elections Act
- 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, referred to as “Canada’s Anti-Spam Legislation” or “CASL” in this document.
- Online News Act
Year of incorporation / commencement: 1968
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: 819‑994‑0423
Fax: 819‑994‑0218
Website: https://www.crtc.gc.ca
Supplementary information tables
The following supplementary information tables are available on the CRTC’s website :
Information on the CRTC’s departmental sustainable development strategy can be found on the CRTC’s website.
Federal tax expenditures
The CRTC’s Departmental Plan does not include information on tax expenditures.
Tax expenditures are the responsibility of the Minister of Finance. The Department of Finance Canada publishes cost estimates and projections for government wide tax expenditures each year in the Report on Federal Tax Expenditures.
This report provides detailed information on tax expenditures, including objectives, historical background and references to related federal spending programs, as well as evaluations, research papers and gender-based analysis plus.
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 document that sets out a department’s priorities, programs, expected results and associated resource requirements, covering a three‑year period beginning with the year indicated in the title of the report. Departmental Plans are tabled in Parliament each spring.
- departmental result (résultat ministériel)
- A change that a department seeks to influence. 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 factor or variable that provides a valid and reliable means to measure or describe progress on a departmental result.
- departmental results framework (cadre ministériel des résultats)
- A framework that consists of the department’s core responsibilities, departmental results and departmental result indicators.
- Departmental Results Report (rapport sur les résultats ministériels)
- A report on a department’s actual performance in a fiscal year against its plans, priorities and expected results set out in its Departmental Plan for that year. Departmental Results Reports are usually tabled in Parliament each fall.
- 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. Full‑time equivalents are calculated as a ratio of assigned hours of work to scheduled hours of work. Scheduled hours of work are set out in collective agreements.
- 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. GBA Plus is a process for understanding who is impacted by the issue or opportunity being addressed by the initiative; identifying how the initiative could be tailored to meet diverse needs of the people most impacted; and anticipating and mitigating any barriers to accessing or benefitting from the initiative. GBA Plus is an intersectional analysis that goes beyond biological (sex) and socio-cultural (gender) differences to consider other factors, such as age, disability, education, ethnicity, economic status, geography, language, race, religion, and sexual orientation.
- government-wide priorities (priorités pangouvernementales)
- For the purpose of the 2024 – 25 Departmental Plan, government-wide priorities are the high-level themes outlining the government’s agenda in the 2021 Speech from the Throne: building a healthier today and tomorrow; growing a more resilient economy; bolder climate action; fighter harder for safer communities; standing up for diversity and inclusion; moving faster on the path to reconciliation and fighting for a secure, just, and equitable world.
- horizontal initiative (initiative horizontale)
- An initiative in which two or more federal organizations are given funding to pursue a shared outcome, often linked to a government priority.
- Indigenous business
- As defined on the Indigenous Services Canada website in accordance with the Government of Canada’s commitment that a mandatory minimum target of 5% of the total value of contracts is awarded to Indigenous businesses annually.
- 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.
- 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 up to the expected result.
- planned spending (dépenses prévues)
- For Departmental Plans and Departmental Results Reports, planned spending refers to those amounts presented in the 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 a department and that focus on a specific set of outputs, outcomes or service levels.
- program inventory (répertoire des programmes)
- An inventory of a department’s programs that describes how resources are organized to carry out the department’s core responsibilities and achieve its planned results.
- result (résultat)
- An external 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.
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