The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) announced that it’s finally taking action to stop carriers from charging fees that discourage Canadians from switching plans, such as activation fees. However, it will be months before the new rules come into effect.
Per a decision handed down by the commission on March 12, the CRTC is amending the Wireless and Internet Codes to add new consumer protections that prohibit fees that could discourage customers from switching plans or providers.
The CRTC documentation cites two changes to the Wireless and Internet codes, one that prohibits activation and modification fees, and one that prohibits early cancellation
For the former, the CRTC noted that the change doesn’t apply to “reasonable fees related to the physical installation of a telecommunications service at a customer’s premises or fees related to additional products or services the customer has explicitly chosen to purchase.” In other words, the new rules won’t stop carriers from charging installation fees for home internet, but should put an end to things like connection fees (which have climbed steadily over the years to an exorbitant $80 at several providers).
Here’s hoping it also puts an end to the totally unnecessary eSIM fees many providers charge, especially since both iOS and Android have built-in tools to support transferring eSIMs between devices.
As for early cancellation fees, I’m not sure how much impact this change will have on wireless, since most providers don’t charge cancellation fees unless you finance a device. When customers do finance devices, the cancellation fee is usually the remaining amount on the financing, and the CRTC isn’t changing this right now. That said, this may benefit home internet customers, especially those who sign a contract to get a discounted rate.
Regardless, the changes are definitely a step in the right direction and will hopefully curb some of the fees Canadian telecoms charge, making it easier for Canadians to switch providers and take advantage of deals.
Unfortunately, it will take time for these new rules to come into effect, with the CRTC starting enforcement on June 12, 2026. Until then, if you want to avoid connection fees, you’ll have to keep activating online, as most providers waive those fees for online orders. Notably, the CRTC also mentions that carriers can manually waive fees, saying it “would allow service providers to comply with the new provisions while they update their systems to remove the prohibited fees.”
Finally, the CRTC said the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS) would administer the new rules, and requested it report on complaints related to activation and modification fees in its annual and mid-year reports.
