Review of video relay service– Changes to procedure

Suspension of deadlines until further notice

1. On 11 March 2021, in Telecom Notice of Consultation 2021-102, the Commission initiated a public proceeding to review video relay service (VRS).
2. Following the receipt of a procedural letter from the Canadian Administrator of VRS (CAV), the Commission issued Telecom Notice of Consultation 2021-102-1, which extended all of the deadlines associated with the VRS review.
3. On 17 May 2021, in accordance with the amended notice of consultation, the CAV filed its responses to the Commission’s requests for information, including a number of documents filed in confidence.
4. The Canadian Deaf-Blind Collective (CDBC) filed a procedural letter on 4 June 2021 requesting the intervention deadline be extended from 5 July 2021 to 8 September 2021, in order to complete a survey of Deaf-Blind community members and submit a report of the findings on the record of the proceeding.
5. On 15 June 2021, the Ontario Video Relay Services Committee-Comité Ontarien des Services de Relais Vidéo (OVRSC-COSRV) filed two procedural letters. One letter requested disclosure of all of the CAV’s responses that were filed in confidence. The other letter requested an additional extension pursuant to the disclosure request it submitted, supported the CDBC’s extension request, and raised other concerns with the process. The submissions from the CDBC and OVRSC-COSRV are available on the record of this proceeding.
6. In order for the Commission to review these requests, and to ensure parties can consider the outcome of that review in their submissions, the Commission hereby suspends all deadlines for the proceeding until further notice while it considers the requests from CDBC and OVRSC-COSRV.
7. The Commission recognizes the importance of this proceeding to the public, and is committed to facilitating meaningful participation for parties and to making timely determinations on the issues being considered. The Commission intends to issue an updated notice as soon as is practicable that will address the procedural requests, set out revised deadlines, and provide further information about process for the proceeding. A single notice addressing all of these requests will minimize confusion about deadlines and process for all interested parties.

Secretary General

Source: https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2021/2021-102-2.htm