Improving cell service in the Yukon

• The Government of Yukon has raised concerns about inadequate and unreliable wireless service experienced by Yukoners, impacting daily life, businesses and safety.

• Bell Canada acknowledged network congestion issues due to increased usage and local upgrades.
• Bell committed to investing $22 million over the next 3 years to improve wireless service in the North, expanding 4G and 5G coverage and improving capacity.
• Bell is notifying customers in affected areas about upcoming infrastructure work via SMS and has established a hotline for Yukoners.
• Yukoners can phone 1-888-833-0966 to report conectivity issues.
• The Government of Yukon urged Rogers Communications and TELUS Corporation to follow Bell's example by compensating customers and investing in infrastructure improvements.
• TELUS is offering a credit towards the next device purchase for customers who file complaints.
• The Government of Yukon is working with the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-Television Services (CCTS) to help Yukoners resolve telecom-related issues.

Key dates:

• July 25, 2024: The Government of Yukon sent a letter to Bell Canada regarding wireless service concerns.
• July 26, 2024: Bell Canada responded, acknowledging the issues and outlining plans for network improvements and investments.
• September 10, 2024: The Government of Yukon contacted TELUS urging them to compensate customers and invest in infrastructure.
• October 8, 2024: The Government of Yukon announced collaboration with the CCTS to assist Yukoners in resolving telecom complaints.

The Government of Yukon has heard from many Yukoners about how poor cell service has disrupted their lives:

• Doctors and nurses could not send or receive patient test results.
• Wildland firefighters struggled to make safety calls during fire season.
• Small business owners could not process payments.
• Residents could not stay in touch with loved ones despite paying high fees.

The Government of Yukon formally reached out to major telecom providers to address Yukoners' concerns about the quality of cellular service. Read the letters below:

• Letter from the Government of Yukon to Bell Canada, July 25, 2024
• Letter from Bell Canada to the Government of Yukon, July 26, 2024
• Letter from the Government of Yukon to Bell Canada, August 7, 2024 
• Letter from the Government of Yukon to Rogers and TELUS, September 10, 2024 

If your service provider cannot resolve your concerns, you have the right to seek recourse through the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services (CCTS)

Overview 

The CCTS is an independent organization that works with customers, small businesses and service providers to resolve disputes about phone, internet, and TV services at no cost. If your provider hasn’t fixed your issue, the CCTS can help.

Steps to file a complaint

1. Contact your service provider to try and resolve the issue.

2. If you’re not satisfied, you can file a complaint with the CCTS. You’ll need:

   • a description of the service problems and how they’ve affected you; and

   • any emails or chats you’ve had with your provider.

To start a complaint visit the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-Television Services website. 

How the CCTS resolves complaints

The CCTS' role is to ensure service providers have met their obligation to customers. If a customer is not experiencing the expected service quality, the CCTS:  

• examines whether the service provider has followed its processes to troubleshoot and address the service quality issue or issue credits; 

• considers what other steps the provider has taken to fix the issue and resolve the complaint; and  

• considers what is fair and reasonable in the circumstances. 

While CCTS cannot fix broader infrastructure or network issues, the CCTS has the ability to hold service providers accountable for delivering what has been agreed to and for promises that they have made to customers about the service they provide.  

Contact the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services 

You can contact the CCTS with your complaint or to ask a question. The offices are open from Monday to Friday, 9 am to 5 pm, Eastern Time.

Toll-free: 1-888-221-1687
TTY: 1-844-713-3010
Email: [email protected]
Fax: 1-877-782-2924
Mail: P.O. Box 56067 – Minto Place RO, Ottawa, ON  K1R 7Z1

Laura Seeley
Cabinet Communications
867-332-7627
[email protected]