Canadian Telecom Regulators Announce Nationwide Do-Not-Call Registry

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Canadian Telecom Regulators Announce Nationwide Do-Not-Call Registry

6:45 am on July 4, 2007 | Category: Business, Telephone, Law, Regulation

Canada’s telecom regulator, the CRTC, laid out new rules yesterday for a national do-not-call registry allowing consumers to prevent unwanted calls from telemarketers.

Regulators have issued a request for proposals from private companies interested in operating the list, in a move triggered by widespread complaints about the nuisance of unwanted commercial calls. The process is expected to take several months, the CRTC says.

Once the registry is ready, Canadians will be able to add their phone and fax numbers at no charge for the first three years. The CRTC will have the power to levy fines of up to $15,000 against businesses that contact anyone on the list.

Under existing rules, consumers must register separately to be on the “do not call” list of each individual telemarketer.

Telemarketing calls from registered charities, political parties, opinion polling firms, major newspapers, and companies that already do business with a particular household will be exempt from the new regulations.