The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has named Vicky Eatrides its new chairperson and CEO. The lawyer officially takes over the five-year gig on Jan. 5, replacing outgoing lead Ian Scott after his five-year term.
Pablo Rodriguez, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, announced Eatrides’ appointment on Dec. 19. According to a release, Eatrides previously spent a dozen years at Canada’s Competition Bureau in a variety of positions, including senior deputy commissioner. In that role she was in charge of enforcing criminal and civil provisions of the Competition Act.
Over her career, Eatrides has garnered experience in telecommunications, broadcasting and new technologies through her work with merger reviews, civil and criminal investigations, and regulatory interventions. She previously taught competition law at Queen’s University and is a current member of the ontario Bar. She also holds a degree in Economics.
Now, it appears as though the minister is hopeful her experience in both the public and private sector can help to navigate some of the CRTC’s challenges in the coming years. That includes the controversial Bill C-11, a piece of proposed legislation that would modernize Canada’s Broadcasting Act to include domestic regulation of streamers like Netflix and Prime Video.
In addition to Eatrides’ appointment, Minister Rodriguez also confirmed new vice-chairpersons Alicia Barin and Adam Scott.
Barin has served as interim vice-chairperson of the CRTC since August 2022 and first joined the commission as the regional commissioner for Quebec in 2019. She has spent more than two decades in the Canadian broadcasting industry, including as a senior-level exec and VP of strategic planning for Astral Media, which was acquired by Bell Media in 2013.
Scott also comes with more than two decades of experience in his former role as an adviser to the federal government on telecommunications and spectrum policy. He currently serves as the director general of the spectrum policy branch at the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development. There, he is responsible for spectrum auctions, spectrum economics and regulatory best practices for the spectrum program as a whole.
“The CRTC has an important mandate to deliver for Canadians. Technology has fundamentally changed how we communicate with each other and how we create and consume culture. The new leadership team at the CRTC will help modernize the regulator and stand up for Canadians and for our creative professionals,” said Minister Rodriguez in a statement.
“The CRTC will undoubtedly benefit from the shared digital, broadcasting and telecommunication expertise that these leaders will bring to the table. I would also like to thank outgoing chair Ian Scott and vice-chair Christianne Laizner for their outstanding service to the CRTC and Canadians over the years.”
