CRTC consults on improving public interest participation in its proceedings
The CRTC is an independent quasi-judicial tribunal responsible for regulating the Canadian communications sector in the public interest. It encourages people with a diversity of perspectives to participate in its proceedings.
People that represent the public interest can apply for funding to cover some of their costs of participating in proceedings, for example to commission expert research, conduct surveys of Canadians, or receive legal advice. Through this public consultation, the CRTC aims to make funding more predictable and faster by simplifying the application process.
The CRTC is accepting comments until September 9, 2025. Interested persons can participate by:
filling out the online form;
writing to the Secretary General, CRTC, Gatineau, Quebec K1A 0N2;
sending a fax to 819-994-0218; or
filing a link to a sign language video using the online form.
All comments will form part of the public record and will inform the CRTC's decision.
This consultation follows a number of recent actions the CRTC has taken to strengthen engagement, including the creation of an Indigenous Relations Team to better support Indigenous participation and an ongoing review of how the CRTC engages with official language minority communities.
Quick facts
The CRTC is committed to supporting the participation of individuals and groups that represent the public interest in its proceedings, including as part of its regulatory plan to modernize Canada's broadcasting framework and its Consumer Protections Action Plan.
First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples and organizations requiring assistance can contact the CRTC's Indigenous Relations Team.
Applications for funding for this proceeding will follow the telecommunications costs process.
Associated links
Regulatory Plan
Consumer Protections Action Plan
Stay ConnectedFollow us on X @CRTCengLike us on Facebook
SOURCE Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/May2025/12/c8488.html
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Los Angeles Times
2 hours ago
- Los Angeles Times
ICE raid at major pot operation clouds picture for legal cannabis in California
Camarillo — Ever since federal immigration agents raided one of the largest licensed cannabis operators in the state this month, the phones of cannabis industry insiders have been blazing with messages of fear, sadness and confusion. 'It sent shock waves through the community,' said Hirsh Jain, the founder of Ananda Strategy, which advises cannabis businesses. 'Everyone is on text threads.' Glass House Brands, whose cannabis operations have helped make Santa Barbara and Ventura counties the new cannabis capitals of California, has long been among the most prominent companies in the state's wild frontier of legal cannabis. Some call it the 'Walmart of Weed' for its streamlined, low-cost production methods, its gargantuan market share and its phalanx of wealthy investors and powerful lobbyists. But federal immigration agents stormed onto company property in Camarillo and Carpinteria on July 10 in a cloud of tear gas, as if they were busting a criminal enterprise. Agents in masks and riot gear marched for hours through the company's vast greenhouses as workers fled and hid in panic. One worker, Jaime Alanís Garcia, died after he fell three stories while trying to evade capture. For Glass House, the aftermath has been devastating. Its stock, which is traded on the Canadian stock exchange, dropped from more than $7.75 a share the day before the raid to $5.27 on Thursday. Some workers disappeared into Immigration and Customs Enforcement detention or bolted, too fearful to return. Others were so traumatized that Glass House brought in grief counselors, according to a source close to the company. Across the wider world of legal California cannabis — where many growers and entrepreneurs have hoped the Trump administration would legalize the drug — people were also shaken. Did the action against Glass House signal an end to federal law enforcement's ceasefire against legal cannabis in California and dozens of other states? And what did it mean for Glass House itself, among the largest cannabis companies in the world? How could this slick corporate entity, founded by an ex-cop and special education teacher and a former tech entrepreneur, be in a position in which federal agents claimed to have apprehended more than a dozen undocumented minors on site? 'This could not come at a worse time,' said Jain, the cannabis consultant, adding that the images and rhetoric that have whipped across social media in the wake of the raid 'impedes our ability to legitimize this industry in the eyes of California and the American public.' He added that 'a failure to legitimize a legal cannabis industry enables the proliferation of an illicit industry that is not accountable and engages in far more nefarious practices.' Working conditions in the cannabis industry are notoriously grim, as documented in a 2022 Times investigation that revealed workers who had their wages stolen, were forced to live in squalid and dangerous conditions and sometimes even died on the job. Glass House had no such reports of injuries or deaths before the raid and has long touted its working conditions. A source close to the company said it pays workers more than minimum wage, and internet job postings reflect that. Still, as with almost all farmwork in California, some of those who labored there were undocumented. The company employs some people directly and relies on farm labor contractors to supply the rest of its workforce. A source close to the company said labor contractors certify that the workers satisfy all laws and regulations, including being 21 or older as required to work in cannabis in California. In the days after the raid, federal officials announced they had detained 361 people, including 14 minors, who by California law cannot work in cannabis. It wasn't clear how many of those detained were undocumented or how many were even working at the operation or were just nearby. At least two American citizens were caught up in the dragnet — a security guard headed to work at Glass House and a philosophy professor at Cal State Channel Islands who was protesting the raid. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said this month that Glass House had been targeted because 'we knew, specifically from casework we had built for weeks and weeks and weeks, that there was children there that could be trafficked, being exploited, that there was individuals there involved in criminal activity.' Glass House officials declined to comment for this article, but in an earlier statement on X, the company said that it had never employed minors and that it followed all applicable employment laws. A source close to the company said the search warrant federal officials presented to Glass House the day of the raid alleged it was suspected of harboring and unlawfully employing undocumented immigrants — but did not mention child labor. In the last few years, the company — along with labor contractors — was named in lawsuits by workers alleging they had been sexually harassed, suffered discrimination, and been shorted overtime pay and required meal and rest breaks. One worker at Glass House — who asked not to be identified because he is undocumented and hid from immigration agents during the raid before escaping — said he was employed to work in Glass House's cannabis operation through one of its labor contractors and valued the job because it is year round, not seasonal like many agricultural jobs. But he complained that the contractor had repeatedly paid him late, forcing him to borrow money to make his rent. He also said supervisors put intense pressure on employees to work faster, screaming expletives at workers, refusing to allow breaks, or yelling at them to eat quickly and return to work before their rest periods were done. A source close to the company said the complaints involved people employed by labor contractors, regarding actions by those contractors and not Glass House directly. Many of the suits are pending, with Glass House named as a co-defendant. Company officials declined to comment publicly. A source close to the company said Glass House takes seriously its responsibilities under California labor law and is committed to ensuring that all labor practices within its operations meet the highest standards. The source added that the raid has shaken a company that has always tried to operate by the book and that, despite its exponential growth in recent years, has sought to maintain a close-knit feel. 'It's very sad,' the source said. In the wake of the raids at Glass House, the United Farm Workers union issued a bulletin in English and Spanish warning anyone who is not a U.S. citizen to 'avoid working in the cannabis industry, even at state-licensed operations.' The union noted that 'because cannabis remains criminalized under federal law, any contact with federal agencies could have serious consequences even for people with legal status.' TODEC Legal Center, a Coachella Valley-based group that supports immigrants and farmworkers, issued a similar message. TODEC warned noncitizens to avoid working in the marijuana industry and avoid discussing any marijuana use or possession — even if it is legal in California — with federal agents, because it could hurt their status. About half the farmworkers in California are undocumented, according to UC Merced researchers. Cannabis industry experts said it is too soon to know whether the raid on Glass House will affect the larger cannabis workforce — or whether more licensed cannabis operations will be raided. 'My best guest would be that this is going to be happening to a lot more cultivation farms,' said Meilad Rafiei, chief executive of the cannabis consulting group We Cann. Among the undocumented workers at Glass House on the day of the raids was Alanís, 56, who had been a farmworker in California for three decades. Over the last 10 years, Alanís worked in the Ventura area, first in a flower nursery and then, once Glass House converted the massive greenhouse complex there, in cannabis. On Monday night, his family held an emotional wake for him in Oxnard, where he lived. The Camino del Sol Funeral Home was filled, as many family members held one another tightly and cried. They remembered him as a hardworking, joyful man, who danced at parties and enjoyed every meal he shared with family. State Sen. Monique Limón (D-Goleta), who led the Senate in adjourning in Alanís' memory last week, told the chamber how he had climbed onto the roof of a greenhouse to escape federal officers. From 30 feet up, she said, he called his family to tell them what was happening, and to report 'how scared he was.' 'Jaime's life was dedicated to our lands, our crops, and to providing for his family,' Limón said, adding that he 'had had no criminal record, he was who our country and our state depended on to provide food on all of our tables.' She added that 'his last moments on Earth were filled with terror.'
Hamilton Spectator
2 hours ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Is Toronto's real estate market crashing? Home prices will keep dropping, experts say — but it won't feel like any crash we've had before
For the first time in more than 30 years Canadians are facing a shocking truth: home prices don't go up forever. Toronto's real estate market is facing its sharpest decline since the 1990s, something the boomer generation might remember well, but subsequent generations not so much. The real estate market has been a key driver for Canadians to attain wealth — long seen as a smart investment tool. But that notion is crashing. Since the February 2022 peak, the average sales price in the GTA has dropped by almost 18 per cent. At least one expert says the region could see a peak-to-trough decline of 23 per cent, while other economists say it's unclear how low prices will go. While the current climate is reminiscent of the late 1980s and early 1990s recession — when home prices plunged by around 38 per cent in the GTA — economists say this slump won't feel like a housing crash in the traditional sense. That's because home prices are still well above 2019 levels, they say, so the current decline is more like a post-pandemic correction, following the unsustainable rise in home prices from 2020 to 2022. Economists say prices in Toronto will continue to drop into next year, but the decline will happen slowly and steadily as immigration declines and interest rates are unlikely to drop much further. 'A 20-per-cent decline after that type of run-up isn't something that we can call a crash,' said Philip Cross, senior fellow at the Macdonald-Laurier Institute. 'If the market stopped declining now, you'd conclude prices are still very high and affordability hasn't been addressed.' The biggest change in the real estate market is mindset — consumers are finally understanding that real estate isn't the golden ticket to a quick buck, or the only way to ensure a comfortable retirement nest egg. 'People's expectations are being reset,' said Victor Couture, associate professor of economic analysis and policy, and the Camrost Felcorp Chair in Real Estate at the Rotman School of Management. 'What is happening is we've had this narrative that sustained rapid price growth can only go up, it's this great investment. But now we're seeing a sustained drop in prices after a large event.' 'Overall the market is in stasis,' said Tony Stillo, director of Canada Economics at Oxford Economics. Sales in Toronto's resale market have been below the 10-year average for the last three years while new listings have surged, meaning there's more supply than demand. Sellers have to adjust their prices to attract buyers, and buyers are able to negotiate better terms in the sale. 'Sales are really low, particularly in Toronto,' Stillo said, adding that affordability, the U.S. trade war and job security are making buyers wary of jumping into a massive purchase at this time. 'We're not in for a crash, but Toronto prices will continue to decline,' adding that home prices will drop 10 per cent by the fourth quarter of 2025 from the fourth quarter in 2024. Stillo noted that the total peak-to-trough price decline is forecast to be around 23 per cent. There isn't a technical definition of a housing crash. Some experts have said it's when prices drop by 30 per cent or more . Some economists said it's difficult to forecast home prices due to the current number of variables, but noted there isn't rapid population growth, low interest rates or strong economic growth to place upward pressure on prices. Because of this, Couture said it's likely home prices will continue to decline next year, but he couldn't say by how much. 'Are we going to see an improvement to these three factors next year? I doubt it,' added Cross. So far the country has bucked a recession despite Trump's tariffs and trade uncertainty, he said, but 'while the Canadian economy has performed surprisingly well, risk remains.' But economists agreed that it's highly unlikely overall prices will fall by more than 30 per cent in the GTA from current levels to completely reverse price gains that occurred during the pandemic. The average GTA price in June 2025 was $1.1 million, a 32-per-cent increase over June 2019, when the average was $833,000. During this period, just three neighbourhoods in Toronto saw average prices drop to 2019 levels , due in large part to more condos selling in those areas, dragging the average price down. Tom Storey, sales representative with Royal LePage Signature Realty, noted that small studio or one-bedroom condos in Toronto are selling for 2019-level pricing but the two- and three-bedroom condo units are still garnering substantial interest from first-time buyers because there's limited stock of this housing type. 'Detached homes are still in a very balanced market, semi-detached homes in some pockets are in a sellers' market if priced right, and condos are buyers' market territory,' he said. Because there is excessive condo supply, with record-levels of new supply entering the market this year, it will take years before market conditions balance, experts say. Nearly 60 per cent of the active listings in Toronto in June were for condos, according to the Toronto Regional Real Estate Board (TRREB). Average prices in these ritzy areas are down, but those expecting a deal on a Forest Hill mansion may be disappointed. Average prices in these ritzy areas are down, but those expecting a deal on a Forest Hill mansion may be disappointed. While homeowners are seeing the value of their properties drop, prospective buyers are still being priced out of the market. 'Prices are still well above pre-pandemic, and even though incomes have continued to rise they haven't kept pace,' said Kari Norman, economist at Desjardins. 'Prices have come down but that doesn't mean we're back to an affordable level.' Over the past quarter century, the average selling price of a home in Canada has ballooned by more than four times, while the average household disposable income has only slightly more than doubled, Norman wrote in an economic report published in May. Housing is considered affordable when households spend no more than 30 per cent of their disposable income on housing costs. In Toronto, households spend at least two-thirds of their income on housing. Cross said house prices and incomes need to reach 'a sustainable equilibrium,' but that in order for home prices to come down in a 'meaningful way' the ratio of home prices to incomes would need to reach an affordable level. To get there the economy would experience job loss and a slowing labour market, as incomes wouldn't be able to rise quickly enough. Already signs of strain are showing. Ontario's 90-plus day mortgage delinquency rate rose 71.5 per cent since the first quarter of 2024, to 0.24 per cent from 0.14 per cent. Power of sales in Ontario in 2024 also trended up, surpassing 2018 levels, according to Teranet, a real estate registry services company. But to get a significant drop in prices to reach levels of affordability, there would need to be much more pain the market, Cross said. 'At some point house price values have to be rooted in the reality of what is affordable,' Cross said. 'These overvalued house prices can't be supported forever — people's incomes just can't support it.' They key takeaway in this real estate moment is 'resetting of people's expectations,' said Couture. 'The path to wealth shouldn't be to buy property,' Couture said, 'but that's the mindset that's been fed to people for so long.' The Star compiled projects that have been cancelled, converted or put into receivership. Check our interactive map to see your neighbourhood. The Star compiled projects that have been cancelled, converted or put into receivership. Check our interactive map to see your neighbourhood. Already, the condo market , which is largely driven by investor demand , has been put on hold because investors are no longer buying units — the rent isn't enough to cover mortgage costs. And house flipping has taken a back seat because prices aren't drastically growing, so the profit when selling isn't there. 'Canadians are learning what Americans learned after the 2008 financial crisis,' Couture said. 'Houses are places for people to live.' If housing is being used as an investment tool, 'not every investment makes you money,' Stillo said. If the intense speculation of investor activity doesn't come back, there would be less volatility in the market and the supply would be dictated by what end-users want. While Cross said the speculation frenzy won't return any time soon, he doesn't think there's been a big enough drop in prices to teach 'the lesson that needs to be learned.' 'The stock market crash in the 1930s or 2008 financial crisis teaches a generation to be more prudent with money,' he said. 'That lesson would not be learned if we froze the market today.'
Business Upturn
6 hours ago
- Business Upturn
Faircourt Asset Management Inc. Announces July Distribution
By GlobeNewswire Published on July 26, 2025, 05:00 IST Toronto, July 25, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Faircourt Asset Management Inc., as Manager of the Faircourt Fund (CBOE:FGX), is pleased to announce the monthly distribution payable on the Shares of the below listed Fund. Faircourt Funds Trading Symbol Distribution Amount (per share/unit) Ex-Dividend Date Record Date Payable Date Faircourt Gold Income Corp. FGX $0.024 July 31, 2025 July 31, 2025 August 15, 2025 Faircourt Asset Management Inc. is the Investment Advisor for Faircourt Gold Income Corp. This press release is not for distribution in the United States or over United States wire services. For further information on the Faircourt Funds, please visit s or please contact 1-800-831-0304. You will usually pay brokerage fees to your dealer if you purchase or sell Shares of the Fund on the CBOE Canada Exchange or other alternative Canadian trading system (an 'exchange'). If the Shares are purchased or sold on an exchange, investors may pay more than the current net asset value when buying Shares of the Fund and may receive less than the current net asset value when selling them. There are ongoing fees and expenses associated with owning units of an investment fund. An investment fund must prepare disclosure documents that contain key information about the fund. You can find more detailed information about the fund in the public filings available at Investment funds are not guaranteed, their values change frequently and past performance may not be repeated. Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with GlobeNewswire. Business Upturn takes no editorial responsibility for the same. Ahmedabad Plane Crash GlobeNewswire provides press release distribution services globally, with substantial operations in North America and Europe.
