Bell Canada has launched an aggressive public campaign aimed at pressuring the federal government and the CRTC to reverse a recent wholesale internet policy, claiming the decision threatens future network investments across the country.
The telecommunications giant took its fight public Monday with full-page newspaper advertisements and a dedicated website that warns Canadians about what Bell describes as “devastating consequences” of the regulatory decision. At issue is the CRTC’s November ruling requiring Bell and other major telecoms to provide wholesale access to their fibre networks to smaller internet service providers at regulated rates.
“This isn’t just about Bell—this policy fundamentally undermines Canada’s digital infrastructure at a critical time,” said Mirko Bibic, President and CEO of Bell Canada, in a statement accompanying the campaign launch. “We’ve already been forced to cut $1.1 billion in network investments, and that’s just the beginning if this policy stands.”
The company claims the CRTC decision will primarily benefit foreign-owned resellers while crippling Canadian network builders’ ability to expand high-speed internet access, particularly in rural and remote communities. According to Bell’s projections, the policy could lead to a reduction of up to $3 billion in network investments industry-wide by 2027.
Independent internet providers and consumer advocacy groups have swiftly countered Bell’s claims, arguing that mandated wholesale access is essential for market competition. OpenMedia, a digital rights organization, called the campaign “a desperate attempt to protect profit margins at the expense of consumer choice.”
Matt Stein, CEO of independent provider Distributel and chairman of the Competitive Network Operators of Canada, dismissed Bell’s investment concerns as unfounded. “The major telecoms made identical threats when wholesale access was mandated for copper networks years ago, yet investment continued to grow,” Stein noted in a media statement.
The dispute highlights ongoing tensions between infrastructure ownership and competitive access in Canada’s telecommunications landscape. The CRTC’s decision aimed to foster competition while still ensuring network builders could earn reasonable returns on their investments—a balance Bell insists the regulator has failed to achieve.
Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne has remained noncommittal about potential intervention, stating only that his office is “carefully reviewing the concerns raised by all stakeholders.” The government faces pressure from both sides, with rural internet expansion being a key political priority that could be affected by any policy changes.
For consumers, the outcome of this regulatory battle could significantly impact both internet pricing and service availability across Canada. Bell’s campaign represents an unusual public challenge to regulatory authority that may set the tone for telecommunications policy debates throughout 2025.
The CRTC declined to comment directly on Bell’s campaign but defended its policy as “evidence-based and in the long-term interest of Canadians.” The regulator is expected to release its detailed rate-setting framework later this summer, which may further inflame or potentially defuse the growing controversy.
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