The Broadcasting and Telecommunications Legislative Review (BTLR)

To ensure that Canada's communications legislation can keep pace in a rapidly evolving digital industry and continue to support Canadian creators and producers, the Government of Canada appointed an external Panel of experts to review the Broadcasting, Telecommunications, and Radiocommunications Acts. The Panel shared a "What We Heard Report" in June 2019, highlighting that various interested parties are urging immediate action to establish an equitable regulatory framework for all participants in the Canadian broadcasting sector. The Panel is also examining issues such as content creation in the digital age, net neutrality, cultural diversity, and how to strengthen the future of Canadian media and Canadian content creation as well as amending existing definitions or adding new ones that are more appropriate for the current broadcasting and media context. The Panel's final report is due in January 2020. It is anticipated that the report will inform future Government actions to modernize Canada's communication legislation. The final report of the expert panel entitled ''The Future of Communications in Canada: Time to Act'', was presented to Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry as well as to Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Canadian Heritage on January 29, 2020. It is expected that the 97 recommendations proposed in the report will inform future government actions to modernize Canada's communications legislation.