On March 12, 2026, the CRTC officially prohibited activation, modification, and
early cancellation fees across Canadian mobile and internet providers. Switching
plans is about to get a lot cheaper
The CRTC bans fees designed to stop you from switching
Telecom Regulatory Policy CRTC 2026-43 amends both the Wireless Code and the
Internet Code to ban activation and modification fees, and early cancellation fees
where no device is being financed. Bell, Rogers, and TELUS had been charging up to
$80 to activate a wireless plan, and some providers billed up to $20 simply to change
a plan with a customer service agent. The CRTC found these fees were a financial
barrier to competition and consumer mobility.
Enforcement starts June 12, 2026
The new rules take effect on June 12, 2026. The CRTC made clear that providers can
already waive these fees manually and expects them to do so during the transition.
The CCTS will administer the new provisions and report on complaints annually and
semi-annually. Exceptions remain for physical installation costs and optional products
a customer explicitly agrees to purchase
A decision rooted in changes to the Telecommunications Act
This ruling follows amendments to the Telecommunications Act that came into force
on October 30, 2025. The Canadian Telecommunications Association opposed the
decision, calling it an unwarranted regulatory intervention. A Bank of Montreal analyst
estimated that if 25 percent of big three subscribers paid activation fees in 2025, the
combined revenue impact could reach roughly $100 million.
Switching plans is about to cost nothing: now is the time to
compare
Starting June 12, 2026, you should no longer have to pay a fee to change providers or
plans. The CRTC has also signaled it will merge the Wireless Code and Internet Code
into a single framework in the coming months. With switching barriers falling away,
there has never been a better time to compare plans with us on PlanHub.ca.
