Overview
- The CRTC’s prohibition on connection, activation, modification and cancellation fees came into effect on June 12, ending the long‑standing $80 in‑person connection charges.
- An internal Telus document dated June 8 shows the company plans a mandatory one‑time $15 fee for SIM cards and eSIMs for most new activations except online purchases.
- CRTC vice‑president Scott Hutton told Telus that a SIM or eSIM is required to deliver service and that a compulsory SIM charge may be considered a prohibited activation fee under the new rules.
- Telus says SIMs are products not administrative fees and has removed its Connection Fee by the effective date, leaving the dispute to be resolved by CRTC enforcement or further regulatory clarification.
- The ban allows limited exceptions such as technician visits, optional add‑ons and subsidized device payoffs, and regulators plan to consolidate industry codes to simplify consumer protections going forward.