The Maritime Sikh Society says the body of a young employee who died at a Walmart in Halifax last weekend was found by her mother.
Half of telecom providers not following website complaints section rules: watchdog
Canada's telecom and television complaints watchdog says many telecom providers aren't following complaints section rules on their websites, and it's particularly concerned about some repeat offenders.
The Commission for Complaints for Telecom-Television Services (CCTS) released its annual compliance report on Thursday. The report found just over half of the 51 communications providers audited didn't have an easily accessible complaints section on their website.
Just 35 per cent of providers were fully compliant with requirements to inform their customers about the CCTS on their respective websites in both official languages.
However, the watchdog characterized that as a "positive" result, as it was an increase from just 14 per cent that were fully compliant in 2019, and compared with a historical average of around 20 per cent.
The report measures the industry's performance in following the watchdog's complaint-handling process and informing customers about its services. It also captures whether service providers are meeting their obligations to pay CCTS fees and share financial information with the commission.
"The good news is that every year we do these audits, most of the providers do work with us to fully address their compliance issues," said Janet Lo, CCTS assistant commissioner for legal, regulatory and stakeholder affairs, in an interview.
"We would like to see that improve and we would like to see that number continue to rise, but it is an improvement compared to historical rates."
The report found 29 per cent of audited companies were non-compliant entirely, with no CCTS information on their websites.
The commission requires search functions to direct visitors to information about the CCTS鈥 dispute resolution process when looking up relevant keywords. Lo said this information should be "easy to find," which the commission defines as no more than two clicks away from a website's home page.
Despite annual reminders of those rules, the report said both Rogers Communications Inc. and Telus Corp. have been non-compliant with search function requirements in four of the past five years.
"The main issue for both (providers) was that searching their business websites did not result in the required CCTS information. Another issue has been missing key words on their French and English residential websites," the report said.
"Overall, this is concerning given that Rogers and Telus have been audited for compliance with the public awareness plan since 2017 and they are well aware of this requirement."
Lo said publicly naming companies that break the rules is one tool at the commission's disposal to enforce the obligations in the case of recurring compliance issues.
In more severe cases, such as a provider refusing to implement a resolution ordered by the watchdog following a complaint, Lo said the CCTS would consider expelling the company from its membership. That would prompt the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission to get involved, opening the door for financial penalties.
"We typically reserve those for very rare and egregious cases of non-compliance," Lo said.
"It's really saved for cases where providers have denied customers access to the CCTS, or through the complaints, they have denied them a right of recourse or remedy to be made whole."
Last month, a report by the commission found complaints about phone, internet and television services were up 43 per cent halfway through its reporting year. It pointed to an "alarming" rise in customer gripes related to overcharges on bills, calling the trend a "cause for concern."
Its latest report on non-compliance said it identified around a dozen providers that "did not promptly implement customer redress to which they had agreed, or which was mandated by the CCTS after an investigation" in 2023.
The report said the CCTS worked with those providers to ensure the customers received the required remedies.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 16, 2024.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Four people are dead and another is in hospital after a Tesla driving through downtown Toronto at a high rate of speed crashed into a guardrail and struck a concrete pillar on Lake Shore Boulevard.
Prosecutor recommends parole for Menendez brothers in 1989 murder of parents
A Los Angeles prosecutor said on Thursday he would ask a judge to release Erik and Lyle Menendez on parole after nearly 35 years in prison for the shotgun murder of their parents, as new evidence emerged indicating they were sexually abused by their father for years.
Former Sports Illustrated swimsuit model says Trump groped her to show off for Jeffrey Epstein
A former Sports Illustrated swimsuit model鈥痠s alleging鈥痶hat former President Donald Trump groped her in the 1990s, in what she believes was an attempt to show off for Jeffrey鈥疎pstein.
'Never said I was going to close the door on politics forever': Christy Clark on interest in federal leadership run
As Prime Minister Justin Trudeau faces growing pressure from within his own caucus to step aside, former B.C. premier Christy Clark says she is open to returning to politics.
Montreal police say four teenagers suffered stab wounds after an altercation near John F. Kennedy High School in the city's Villeray鈥擲aint-Michel鈥擯arc-Extension borough on Thursday.
More straight couples are calling each other partner. Here's why
Within a year of dating, 31-year-old Siara Rouzer crossed a major relationship milestone. The guy she was seeing was no longer a boyfriend but her partner.
Trudeau announces massive drop in immigration targets as Liberals make major pivot
The federal government is slashing immigration targets to levels that will flatten population growth as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau admits the government did not get the balance right after the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Ottawa Police Service has identified the woman who was stabbed to death at Paul Landry Park on Uplands Drive Thursday morning.
Local Spotlight
A new resident at a Manitoba animal rescue has waddled her way into people's hearts.
Hundreds of people ran to the music of German composer and pianist Beethoven Wednesday night in a unique race in Halifax.
He is a familiar face to residents of a neighbourhood just west of Roncesvalles Avenue.
A meteor lit up our region's sky last night 鈥 with a large fireball shooting across the horizon over Lake Erie at around 7:00 p.m.
Residents of Ottawa's Rideauview neighbourhood say an aggressive wild turkey has become a problem.
A man who lost his life while trying to rescue people from floodwaters, and a 13-year-old boy who saved his family from a dog attack, are among the Nova Scotians who received a medal for bravery Tuesday.
A newly minted Winnipegger is hoping a world record attempt will help bring awareness for the need for more pump track facilities in the city.
A Springfield, Ont. man is being hailed a 'hero' after running into his burning home to save his two infant children.
Hortense Anglin was the oldest graduate to make her way across the platform at York University's Fall Convocation ceremony this week. At the age of 87, she graduated with an Honours degree in Religious Studies.