A coalition of independent service providers (ISPs) are calling on the CRTC to improve wholesale fibre internet rates.
Led by TekSavvy, the group says these rates are higher than the retail prices charged by major carriers. The coalition argues that this makes competition “impossible” as ISPs are forced to either sell at a loss or set prices above those from big telecoms.
In particular, the coalition is looking for the CRTC to make three main changes:
- Eliminate the Adjustment Factor that “artificially increased” fibre wholesale rates by an estimated 25 to 30 per cent
- Reduce the markup applied to wholesale fibre services from 30 per cent to 15 per cent to reflect “declining costs, operational efficiencies, and the need to support competition”
- Correct technical errors pertaining to “certain wholesale fibre speed descriptions”
The CRTC set the final wholesale rates in April 2026 after using interim rates for years. However, critics blasted the final rates for not changing enough. Some even went so far as to say the final rates would “end independent competition.”
To put things in perspective, Bell charges ISPs a fibre rate of $68.26 for speeds between 3Mbps and 1,500Mbps in Ontario, while Telus charges $77.21 for speeds between 15Mbps and 1,500Mbps in Alberta and B.C.
However, both providers undercut those rates with their own fibre plans. At the time of writing, Bell offered a 150Mbps fibre internet plan in Ontario for $65/mo (including bundle and autopay credits), while Telus had a 500Mbps internet plan in B.C. for $70/mo (with bundle and autopay discounts).
Source: TekSavvy
