CRTC to scale back staff at regional offices

Canada’s telecommunications regulator is eliminating roles at its seven regional offices and consolidating some services at its National Capital Region headquarters in a push toward “digital first.”

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission informed staff Tuesday that it will centralize client services at its Gatineau, Que., office and create a virtual regional administrative support hub to help commissioners, according to an email obtained by the Financial Post.

The decision was made in part to cut costs and in part in response to a digital first environment where more stakeholders connect with the CRTC via social media or its website’s chat function.

“Like other government departments and agencies, ( the CRTC) must constantly review its operations to ensure that they are efficient and properly take into account our stewardship responsibilities,” according to the email from secretary general Danielle May- Cuconato. “In this context, the operational realities of the CRTC’s regional footprint has been reviewed.”

The regulator, which makes decisions that affect any Canadian who uses a cell phone, landline, television or the Internet, traditionally maintained regional operations in a bid to fulfill its mandate to provide accessible services to Canadians in all regions. These offices are established by cabinet order.

“This decision is a result of a significant shift towards digital first. We’ve seen this through environmental scans and the Government of Canada’s new communication policy,” May-Cuconato wrote.

“This new model will afford the CRTC the opportunity to develop a more in- tegrated approach to client services, enhance our digital presence and standardize and streamline support for commissioners.”

The CRTC is working with its union to address the employees affected by the decision, according to the email.

Typically two or three people work in client services in each office, CRTC spokesman Eric Rancourt said. These employees will be given the option to move to Gatineau, he said.

While only administrative functions will remain, Rancourt insisted the doors will not close at the regional offices in the foreseeable future.

He noted the commissioner for the Atlantic region and Nunavut already lives in a different city than the regional office, so already operates virtually. Other offices will shift more towards that model.

The changes come as the regulator’s future and mandate is under scrutiny by the Department of Canadian Heritage as part of its review of Canadian content in a digital world.

The CRTC has regional offices in B.C., Alberta, Saskatchewan, Manitoba, Toronto, Montreal and Nova Scotia.