Even as the minister responsible admitted there aren’t enough competitive options for mobile service in Canada, another federal official said consumers can and should search for other service providers when faced with price increases.
That message — from Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) Canada — came just hours after the Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Canadians “still pay too much and see too little competition” for cellular services.
“Customers could consider switching service providers,” an ISED Canada representative wrote Thursday, when asked for a response to price increases at Rogers Communications and reported hikes at Bell.
Rogers said earlier this week some of its wireless customers will see increases of less than $7 to $9 per month in the coming weeks. On Friday, it said the average increase will be $5.
Have you noticed your phone bill going up? Email ask@cbc.ca
The idea that Canadians should bear the burden of searching out cheaper prices doesn’t sit well with one competition expert.
“That should not be the consumer’s responsibility,” said Keldon Bester, executive director of the research and advocacy group Canadian Anti-Monopoly Project, who spoke out against Rogers’s recent merger with Shaw Communications.
“As opposed to companies fighting for customers, it’s customers hunting around for the best deal in a not-that-great marketplace.”
Cellphone plans are about to get more expensive for some Canadians
Rogers Communications has confirmed that it will increase the price of some of its cellphone plans — a move that’s not landing well with many customers.
According to Bester, part of the problem is the high cost in time and effort it takes to find savings.
“Of course it’s possible to switch. But what we need to realize is, I think, the people that need these affordable services the most are not the folks who can sort of leisurely be on the phone with Bell for an hour trying to negotiate a better contract,” he said.
Neither Bell nor Telus responded to repeated requests for comment.
Quebecor, owner of the cable and mobile provider Videotron, said on Thursday that a price freeze is in place for customers with its Freedom Mobile, Videotron and Fizz brands.
Quebecor bought Freedom Mobile from Shaw, as part of the Calgary-based telecom’s merger with Rogers. Under that agreement, Videotron was obliged to lower prices, but the lowest price the government can enforce is $68 per month.
Rogers was not subject to similar price controls in its purchase of Shaw. Federal officials say the coming increases are permitted.
“At this time, there is no indication Rogers is contravening their transaction agreement. However, Rogers is subject to binding reporting requirements and significant damages of up to $1 billion for noncompliance,” the ISED Canada representative said in an email.
When that merger finally cleared every hurdle back in April, Rogers’s CEO pledged to lower costs for consumers.
“Prices are going to come down,” said Tony Staffieri.
Rogers pointed out this week that it offfers a no-cost smartphone and $25 per month plan to eligible Canadians; however, the plan is not universally available. To qualify, consumers must be in specific groups, including (but not limited to) receiving provincial income support, disability benefits or the Guaranteed Income Supplement for senior citizens.
In April, the CEO of Rogers Communications pledged prices would go down following its merger with Shaw Communications. This week Rogers said prices for subscribers who are not on contracts could go up by an average of $5 per month. (Evan Mitsui/CBC)
Rogers also noted the price per gigabyte of data has gone down on some of its plans.
Statistics Canada reported on that same trend late last year, but noted that a bigger “data allowance” can actually make cellular prices appear to be falling due to how they are calculated as part of the inflation rate — even if the total dollar amount consumers pay hasn’t gone down
The Canadian Telecommunications Association says the cost of investing in networks remains high for the Canadian telecom companies it represents.
The sector “has been investing billions each year in expanding and enhancing its networks so that subscribers enjoy faster speeds, wider coverage, and larger data allotments,” wrote Eric Smith, the group’s senior vice president.
But studies comparing phone and internet prices around the world continue to detail the expensive prices in Canada.
One such report, produced last February by Wall Communications for ISED Canada, found the country still had among the highest prices anywhere for cellphone and broadband service in 2022.
OTTAWA – Conservative MP Garnett Genuis told a federal inquiry today that parliamentarians who were targeted by Chinese hackers could have taken immediate protective steps if they had been informed sooner.
It emerged earlier this year that in 2021 some MPs and senators faced cyberattacks from the hackers because of their involvement with the Inter-Parliamentary Alliance on China, which pushes for accountability from Beijing.
In 2022, U.S. authorities apparently informed the Canadian government of the attacks, and it in turn advised parliamentary IT officials — but not individual MPs.
Genuis, a Canadian co-chair of the inter-parliamentary alliance, told a federal commission of inquiry on foreign interference today that it remains mysterious to him why he wasn’t informed about the attacks sooner.
Liberal MP John McKay, also a Canadian co-chair of the alliance, said there should be a clear protocol for advising parliamentarians of cyberthreats.
Several weeks of public inquiry hearings will focus on the capacity of federal agencies to detect, deter and counter foreign meddling.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.
TORONTO – After being drafted in the third round (61st overall) of the 2023 MLS SuperDraft, forward Charlie Sharp decided to put his dream of playing professional football on hold.
He spent a couple of weeks training with Toronto FC that summer and then returned for a fifth year at Western Michigan University.
“It was a really tough decision for me,” Sharp recalled. “Because I knew that going back to school, nothing was guaranteed. I could get injured or not perform well, but it seemed to really work out for me.”
Sharp scored 19 goals and added eight assists as a senior, leading the Broncos to a 17-2-3 record and a third-round appearance in the NCAA tournament where they eventually lost to national runner-up Notre Dame on penalty kicks. Sharp, who scored or assisted in nine of his last 10 matches, ranked first in the NCAA with 0.95 goals per game and 2.30 points per game and was tied for second with seven game-winning goals.
The 23-year-old Sharp, whose rights were retained by Toronto, spent time with the TFC first team in this year’s pre-season and signed with Toronto FC II in February. On Tuesday, he joined TFC 2 teammate Nate Edwards, a wingback from Brampton, Ont., in signing a first-team contract.
“We are happy to officially elevate Charlie at this time,” Toronto GM Jason Hernandez said in a statement Tuesday. “His strong mentality and mature playing style will be a welcomed addition to our young player group in the first team.”
Both players signed contracts that run through 2025 with club options for 2026 and 2027.
The deals were completed in advance of Friday’s MLS roster freeze but took their time working their way through the league office.
“A bit of unorthodox path that I chose,” said Sharp. “But I think you’re seeing it more now with players that get drafted.”
“I’m super-happy,” he added. “I think I made the right decision.”
As a senior, Sharp was one of three finalists for the 2023 MAC Hermann Trophy, which honours the top NCAA soccer player. The award eventually went to Clemson senior forward Ousmane Sylla.
The six-foot-five 185-pounder from Brighton, Mich., finished his collegiate career with 42 goals 22 assists, and 106 points in 89 games. He ranks first in career goals and games and tied for fourth in assists for Western Michigan.
In returning to Kalamazoo for a fifth year, Sharp also succeeded off the pitch by completing his degree in computer information systems.
Despite some niggling injuries, Sharp has five goals and two assists in 16 appearances with TFC 2 this season. He made his first-team debut off the bench May 15 against Nashville.
“I had a lot of friends and family watching,” he said.
“It’s been a journey,” Sharp added. “I’ve been thankful for every step of the way.,”
The 21-year-old Edwards has one goal and two assists in 23 games with TFC’s MLS Next Pro team.
“He has been a top performer with TFC II this season and we look forward to his continued growth within our environment,” said Hernandez
Edwards, who also joined TFC 2 in February, made his first-team debut May 21 in Canadian Championship play against Ligue1 Quebec champion CS Saint-Laurent.
The five-foot-eight 167-pounder split his college career between Syracuse University and Purdue University Fort Wayne. As a senior in 2023, he had one goal and four assists for Syracuse and was named to the 2023 All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Academic Team and College Sport Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District Team.
At Purdue University Fort Wayne, he had two goals and an assist in 40 appearances across three seasons (2020-2022) with the Mastodons.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.
CALGARY – A Calgary man who pleaded guilty to sharing Islamic State recruitment videos and propaganda on TikTok will spend the next six years behind bars.
Zakarya Rida Hussein was sentenced during a court appearance on Friday after he pleaded guilty to one of four terrorism-related charges.
Hussein admitted that he owned social media accounts that posted ISIS recruitment videos and propaganda.
He also admitted to sharing a bomb-making video online.
The man was arrested in June 2023 after a joint investigation led by the RCMP and the Calgary Police Service.
Hussein will need to submit DNA results and will be under lifetime ban from owning firearms after he’s released.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 17, 2024.
