Canada has launched its first national Telecom Competition Roadmap, a plan the federal government says will bring more choice, better prices and stronger networks to phone and internet customers across the country. Industry Minister Melanie Joly announced the roadmap in Ottawa on 28 October, describing it as a national approach to breaking down regional barriers in a market long dominated by a small number of large carriers.

What is already in place

The plan groups its actions under three headings: more choices, better prices and high-quality networks. To widen choice, the government will make it easier for smaller competitors to access existing networks and to build their own infrastructure. On prices, it promises to spotlight competitive offers, make it simpler for customers to compare plans and switch providers, and remove unnecessary fees. On networks, it points to fibre deployment and upgrades in northern, rural and Indigenous communities where service has lagged behind city standards.

What happens next

Some of the roadmap's measures are not new. The announcement builds on an August 2025 decision requiring large carriers to open their fibre lines to rivals, and on switching rules adopted in spring 2026. The regulator has also barred extra fees to activate, change or cancel a plan, and wholesale rates for most fibre-to-the-home connections were set in April. Smaller providers have argued, however, that some wholesale rates remain too high to undercut retail plans, which is why the roadmap also promises further work on pricing and profitability benchmarks. Ottawa says it will track prices, switching rates, speeds, coverage and complaints to judge whether the plan is working. The roadmap itself does not cut any customer's bill immediately, and its test will be whether new entrants can actually compete with Rogers, Bell and Telus from coast to coast.

Sources: Government of Canada (official), iPhone in Canada.