Less than 25% of Canadians surveyed have a favourable view of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC), according to in-house research..According to Blacklock’s Reporter, the agency's favourability rating went down when it received new powers allowing it to regulate the Internet..Asked, “What is your impression of the CRTC?” almost a fifth of respondents, 19%, said they had a low opinion of the regulator. .“Canadians’ impressions of the CRTC have declined this year with one quarter, 26%, holding a somewhat or very favourable view of the CRTC,” said a report..“This represents a decrease of seven percent over this past year and the lowest favourability rating since the previous low of 29% recorded in 2016,” said the report Public Opinion Research on the CRTC’s Consumer Protection Codes 2023..“A large number of Canadians are uninformed about the CRTC,” wrote researchers. .“Although awareness of the Commission’s mandate and role has fluctuated over time, this year recorded the most significant drop since 2018. Moreover, just a quarter of Canadians report a positive impression of the CRTC.”.The CRTC commissioned the report from Phoenix Strategic Perspectives Inc. at a cost of $113,466. The findings were from questionnaires given to 1,671 individuals across the country..The CRTC did not provide any reason for its declining popularity. .These findings coincided with the introduction of two bills that granted the Commission unprecedented authority to regulate the Internet..On April 23, 2022, Parliament enacted Bill C-11 An Act to Amend the Broadcasting Act. .This bill allows the Commission to regulate 'commercial' internet video and music services such as YouTube. .However, the term 'commercial' was not defined in the legislation..Parliament on June 22 also passed Bill C-18, the Online News Act, mandating the CRTC referee revenue sharing between service providers such as Facebook and Commission-approved news publishers. The bill will be enforced by December 19, though Facebook has already dropped out of the program..Before the introduction of internet regulation bills, legislators had expressed frustration with the CRTC..“Like a lot of Canadians, I am very frustrated with telecommunications in this country,” Senator Michael MacDonald (NS) told 2018 Senate Transport and Communications committee hearings..“Does the CRTC have the disposition?” asked MacDonald. .“Is it equipped to challenge this stuff? Because in my time here over the past 20 years, they seem to be as much a part of the problem as they are part of the solution.”.“I’m not convinced the CRTC has the fortitude to take on these cartels and the consumers are losing because of it,” said MacDonald. .“What’s the solution besides going to the CRTC? Is it relevant anymore in terms of serving the public interest? I’m convinced it is not serving the public interest.”
