Fasken houses a strong practice which is equipped to handle the gamut of telecoms and broadcasting matters. The group regularly acts for clients before the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, the Department of Innovation and the Copyright Board. Network deployment requirements, specialized communications contracts and anti-spam legislation are additional areas of expertise. Broadcasters, radio equipment and hardware vendors and satellite service providers routinely feature on the group’s client roster. Leslie Milton steers the department from Ottawa and has significant experience in telecoms and radio communications regulation. Additional key partners at the Ottawa office include licensing and regulatory compliance specialist Scott Prescott, and ex-practice head Gerald Kerr-Wilson. In Toronto, Barbara Miller majors on the investments, acquisitions and financings of telecoms and broadcasting entities, and Paul Burbank provides key support at the associate level.
Telecoms in Canada
Fasken
Responsables de la pratique:
Leslie Milton
Autres avocats clés:
Scott Prescott; Gerald Kerr-Wilson; Barbara Miller
Les références
‘The team specializes in CRTC regulatory matters. They provide timely responses to requests and always give sound legal advice and direction.’
‘Barbara Miller is a pleasure to work with and provides excellent guidance on regulatory matters. I have a great deal of respect for her advice and knowledge.’
Principaux clients
Rogers Communications Canada
Shaw Communications
Quebecor Media
Amazon
TELUS Communications
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Sirius XM Canada
Warner Media
Roku
Principaux dossiers
- Advised Rogers Communications on the regulatory approvals for its $25B acquisition of Shaw Communications.
- Advised Rogers Communications on the implementation of Bill C-11, Online Streaming Act and the various new regulatory frameworks the CRTC will seek to adopt for television, radio, distribution and online streaming services.
- Advised Rogers Communications on the CRTC’s ongoing review of its wireline wholesale high-speed access framework.
McCarthy Tétrault
McCarthy Tétrault's practice is noted for regularly representing clients in contentious broadcasting and telecommunications cases, in addition to advising on the application, regulation and commercialization of emerging technologies. The team is frequently instructed by telecoms companies, satellite carriers, mobile and fixed wireless networks, cable operators, financial institutions and regulators. Of counsel and Toronto-based practice lead Grant Buchanan has focused his practice on broadcast and telecoms financing, Copyright Board work and regulatory matters. Counsel Keith Rose is active on non-contentious matters involving 5G, satellite communications and consumer and medical devices.
Responsables de la pratique:
Grant Buchanan
Autres avocats clés:
Keith Rose
Principaux clients
Bell Canada
Bell Media
TELUS Communications
Jewelry Television
telMAX LP
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
Word of God Fellowship
Ericsson
Loral Space & Communications (Loral)
Dentons
The expertise of the practice at Dentons encompasses telecoms matters involving mobile satellite systems, online streaming services, user generated content platforms and cloud-based computing systems. Domestic and foreign satellite operators, broadcasters and tech companies regularly feature on the group’s client roster. Ottawa-based Monica Song steers the department; her practice has a particular emphasis on the satellite and wireless industries and cloud-based technology companies, with an increasing focus on earth observation satellite service licensing and broadband expansion projects. Key counsels include Gregory Kane KC, who represents telecoms clients in regulatory and appellate litigation, and Margot E Patterson, who advises multinational media companies on broadcasting regulatory matters.
Responsables de la pratique:
Monica Song
Autres avocats clés:
Gregory Kane KC; Margot E Patterson
Principaux clients
Ligado Networks LLC
Spire Global
WorldVu Development LLC dba OneWeb
Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP
The group at Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP advises a range of companies on telecommunications, broadcasting and radio communication compliance matters. Additional skill lies in disputes, hearings, regulatory enforcement actions and public consultation processes. Montreal-based Sunny Handa steers the practice and is well-versed in M&A, telecommunications and broadcasting matters. Also in Montreal, younger partner Céline Poitras assists corporations with their Canadian regulatory obligations.
Responsables de la pratique:
Sunny Handa
Autres avocats clés:
Céline Poitras
Principaux clients
Affinity Network
Aryaka Networks
Bell Canada
Cisco Systems Canada
Equinix
GHGSat
Global Voice & Data
Inmarsat PLC
Pelion IoT (formerly ARM Limited)
SES
Principaux dossiers
- Advised SES in connection with its Canadian operations and strategic approach in addressing the upcoming reallocation and clearing of C-band spectrum to support the deployment of 5G services in Canada.
- Advised GHGSat, a Montreal-based satellite company that monitors high-resolution greenhouse gas, in its $45m Series B funding round.
- Advised Inmarsat, a global player in the satellite communications space, in connection with its compliance with the Canadian telecommunications and radiocommunication regulatory regimes.
Goodmans LLP
The practice at Goodmans LLP specializes in advising on matters relating to the Broadcasting Act, as well as representing clients before the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, the Competition Bureau and the Competition Tribunal. Two Toronto-based partners co-lead the group: Michael Koch focuses his practice on federal regulatory matters and has both contentious and non-contentious expertise, while Monique McAlister majors on communications, privacy and consumer protection matters.
Responsables de la pratique:
Michael Koch; Monique McAlister
Principaux clients
BCE/Bell Media
Major League Baseball Collective of Canada
The Walt Disney Company
Warner Bros. Discovery
Rainbow Media/AMC
CBS Corporation
Bragg Communications
Intelsat
Rogers Communications
Comwave
Gogo Internet
Principaux dossiers
- Acted for Shaw Communications in the acquisition by Rogers Communications of all of Shaw’s issued and outstanding Class A and Class B shares in a transaction valued at approximately C$26bn.
- Advised multiple clients on proposed amendments to the Broadcasting Act that would result in foreign online undertakings being regulated as part of the Canadian broadcasting system.
Stikeman Elliott LLP
The telecoms practice at Stikeman Elliott LLP frequently supports its M&A group with regulatory advice. The group has particular strength in anti-spam matters, regularly providing advice on all elements of the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules, including the National Do Not Call List and restrictions on automated dialers. Ottawa-based unsolicited telecommunications specialist David Elder steers the department. Elder supports clients on licensing, policy matters and competitive disputes and routinely appears before the CRTC, Federal Court of Appeal, and numerous parliamentary committees.
Responsables de la pratique:
David Elder
Principaux clients
Bell Canada
TELUS Communications
Cogeco Média
Cogeco Connexion
Cogeco Communications
The Hearst
Datablocks
Sunlight Media Networks
Cartesian Capital
Fibrestream
AppDirect
Aquilini Equities