The country’s communications regulator is hanging up on telemarketers.
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission says it will maintain the rules that prevent automated calling devices from contacting people who don’t want the calls.
The Canadian Marketing Association had wanted the rules eased so businesses with existing customer relationships could make automated calls to people without having their express consent.
But the CRTC says the existing rules, designed to reduce undue inconvenience to Canadians, will stand.
The regulator has also tightened the rules, giving telemarketers 14 days to remove numbers from their calling lists when Canadians request to be placed on a business’s internal do-not-call list.
The grace period used to be 31 days.
As well, telemarketers using automated calling devices will be required to say up front why they’re calling.
Telemarketers will also have to make sure the contact information provided during a call remains valid for a minimum of 60 days.
