The Canadian broadcasting industry is under tremendous pressure right now due to the changes in consumer habits, the emergence of new platforms, new sources of content, and new business models. Speaking to Lexpert, Stéphanie Paquette, appointed CRTC's Quebec Regional Commissioner, says this period is highly critical.
“The first reason I was interested in the job, and the first reason I joined the CRTC, is to help build the regulatory framework of tomorrow. To bring back this essential balance in the broadcasting ecosystem, a balance that will support the production and discoverability of local content in a manner that is fair and equitable for all the industry.”
This situation is hardly limited to Quebec – or Canada, for that matter. Paquette believes it’s indicative of what’s happening worldwide. However, in Quebec, she tells Lexpert that she’s super proud of the successes in their TV and radio ecosystems.
“I can't help but be very proud of our unique and cultural broadcasting system in Quebec. We're one of the places in the world that watches mostly [our] own TV. We built great expertise through the years and we’re producing amazing shows for an audience that’s watching them. We have a lot to lose in Quebec – so we need to quickly find a way to preserve the success and make our local industry even stronger.”
Paquette sees the CRTC as the guardian of balance. This balance allows competition in the market to ensure the broadest possible access to telecommunication services at affordable prices.
“In Quebec, I feel we’re in a good position compared to other parts of the country in terms of access to high-speed internet and competition in the telecommunications sector. At this point, we need to continue the work and make sure that our efforts last.”
Looking at the ongoing challenges faced by the broadcasting industry in Quebec, Paquette is quick to point out the passing of Bill C11 and Bill C18 – both of which have far-reaching implications for the sector.
“The CRTC needs to act fast on the new regulatory framework surrounding Bill C11 and Bill C18 – two Bills that have been adopted by Parliament in 2023. This should hopefully bring some relief to the industry right now. It’s one of the highest priorities for the CRTC because we know that the situation in the industry is very difficult right now. And that won’t improve if we don't quickly put in place a new regulatory framework which reflects the new realities of our industry.”
On the telecom side, Paquette believes one of the challenges is ensuring competitive markets build a framework to guarantee access to affordable services and reliable, modern networks.
“In Quebec, I'm also very concerned about the access to 911 services in French, which is an issue that’s been in the news,” she explains. “I follow this issue very closely and I have to say that I'm quite satisfied by the efforts that have been deployed to find and implement some solutions.”
In the past year, Paquette says that there have been a few situations in which French-speaking individuals have called 911 in an emergency but have not had access to someone who speaks their language.
“It's a major concern for the CRTC to make sure that, in an emergency situation, people will be able to have access to the service in French. After studying the situation, this problem applies more to voice-over IP services… It’s a bit more of a challenge technologically to make sure that people get their services in the right language. But… it’s an important matter, and we're working on making sure that the services are accessible in the right language.”
Paquette says that decisions made in the coming months will impact many decades ahead. The challenge from a regulatory perspective is ensuring that the framework will stand the test of time.
“We cannot stop technology from evolving every week. Every week there's something new happening and we cannot create a new framework every six months. So, our future regulation must be designed with a broad approach that’ll have the potential to encompass [any] future changes in our system.”