How to Complain About Your Phone or Internet Service in Canada
Complain about phone, internet, or TV service in Canada: the provider-first step, the CCTS complaint form and stages, and what the CCTS can and cannot do.
How to Register for the National Do Not Call List in Canada
Register your number on the National Do Not Call List: free online or by phone, what it stops, what it does not stop, and how to complain.
Applies in: CA
The National Do Not Call List, or DNCL, is a free registry that lets you reduce the number of telemarketing calls you receive. It does not stop every call, and it does not work instantly. This guide explains how to register, what the list does and does not stop, and how to complain when a call breaks the rules.
Step 1: Check your number qualifies
The National DNCL is only for personal telephone numbers. You can register a personal landline, wireless, fax, or VoIP number. You cannot register a business telephone number. Registration is free, and only you can register your phone number. If someone calls offering to put your number on the list for a fee, do not accept: the call may be fraudulent, and you can report it to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501.
Step 2: Register online or by phone
Register online by selecting Register your number from the For Consumers tab on the National DNCL website and following the instructions. The Registration Results page confirms that your phone number has been added to the list. By phone, call 1-866-580-DNCL (1-866-580-3625) from the phone number you want to register, or 1-888-DNCL-TTY (1-888-362-5889) if you are calling from a TTY device. You will hear a message confirming that your phone number has been added. To register a fax number by fax, send a fax to 1-888-DNCL-Fax (888-362-5329) from the fax machine you want to register, writing the number you want to register and the instruction: Please Register.
Step 3: Wait 31 days for telemarketers to update their lists
When you register, your number is immediately added to the National DNCL, but telemarketers have 31 days to update their own lists, and you may receive calls within those first 31 days. Telemarketers must access the National DNCL at least every 31 days while making telemarketing calls and remove registered numbers from their calling lists. Your registration stays on the list permanently, and there is no need to re-register.
Step 4: Know what the list does not stop
Registering means you will receive fewer telemarketing calls, but there are exceptions. The following callers can still call you: Canadian registered charities; political parties, candidates, and associations of members of a political party; persons collecting information for market research or public opinion polls; newspapers of general circulation for the purpose of soliciting subscriptions; organizations with which you have an existing business relationship; and persons or entities to whom you have provided express consent to be called. An existing business relationship exists when you purchased, leased, or rented a product or service in the last 18 months, have a written contract that is still in effect or expired within the last 18 months, or asked about a product or service within the last 6 months. Business-to-business calls are also exempt from the National DNCL Rules. Calls from market research or polling firms are not considered telemarketing calls because they are not selling, leasing, or renting products or services, and debt collection calls are not considered telemarketing calls either, so those organizations do not have to keep internal do not call lists.
Step 5: Ask exempt callers to stop directly
Whether or not you are registered on the National DNCL, you can reduce telemarketing calls by adding your number to individual telemarketers' do not call lists. All telemarketers must keep their own internal do not call lists. When you receive a call, ask to have your number added to their do not call list, or contact the organization directly to have your number placed on its list. Exempt organizations must also keep their own do not call lists, and if you tell an exempt organization to stop calling you, it has to do so.
Step 6: Complain about calls that break the rules
You can make a complaint if you received a telemarketing call that you believe violates the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules. Complain online by selecting File a Complaint from the For Consumers tab, or by phone at 1-866-580-3625, Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. When filing a complaint, provide the name or number of the telemarketer, the date of the telemarketing call, the nature of the complaint, and your contact information. If your complaint is about a call received after you have been registered for at least 31 days, note that the exempt calls listed above are still allowed. The CRTC will investigate your complaint to determine whether a violation occurred. If a telemarketing company broke the rules, the CRTC may impose a penalty of up to $1,500 per violation for individuals and up to $15,000 per violation for corporations.
Checking or removing your registration
You can verify your registration online, by selecting Check your registration from the For Consumers tab, or by phone from the number you want to check at 1-866-580-3625 or 1-888-362-5889 for TTY. If you are changing your number or wish to remove it for any other reason, call the National DNCL Service Line from the number you wish to remove at 1-866-580-3625. Your number will be removed within 24 hours.
Figures the opened CRTC pages do not state
The opened National DNCL FAQ states the registration routes, the 31-day rule, the exemptions, and the complaint process set out above. It does not state how many numbers are registered on the list or how many complaints the CRTC receives, so no such figures appear in this guide.
Related guides:
- How to escalate a consumer complaint in Canada: the wider route for consumer complaints when a business, rather than a telemarketer, is the problem.
- How to complain to the Ontario Ombudsman: how to complain about an Ontario government organization, a different route from a CRTC telemarketing complaint.
The National Do Not Call List path
- Check your number qualifiesPersonal landline, wireless, fax, or VoIP numbers only; business numbers cannot be registered
- Register online or by phoneRegister online through the National DNCL site, or call 1-866-580-3625 from the number you want to register
- Wait 31 days for lists to updateTelemarketers have 31 days to update their lists, and you may still receive calls in that window
- Ask exempt callers to stop directlyExempt organizations must keep their own do not call lists and honour your request
- Complain about calls that break the rulesFile a complaint online or by phone with the telemarketer's name or number, the date, and the nature of the complaint
- Check or remove your registrationVerify your registration online or by phone; removal takes effect within 24 hours
Questions people ask
What is the National Do Not Call List?
The National Do Not Call List, or DNCL, gives consumers a choice about whether to receive telemarketing calls. The National DNCL Rules set out responsibilities for Canada's telemarketers and their clients. As a consumer, you can reduce the number of telemarketing calls you receive by registering your personal telephone number, including a landline, wireless, fax, or VoIP number, on the list. The list is managed by the National DNCL Operator on behalf of the CRTC, and the rules are enforced by the CRTC.
How do I register my number on the National Do Not Call List?
You can register online or by phone, and registration is free. Online, select Register your number from the For Consumers tab on the National DNCL website and follow the instructions; the Registration Results page confirms your number has been added. By phone, call 1-866-580-3625 from the phone number you want to register, or 1-888-362-5889 if you are calling from a TTY device. You will hear a message confirming your number has been added.
How long does it take for the National Do Not Call List to work?
Your number is added to the list immediately when you register, but telemarketers have 31 days to update their own lists, and you may receive calls within those first 31 days. After that, telemarketers must access the list at least every 31 days while making telemarketing calls and remove registered numbers from their calling lists.
Will registering stop all telemarketing calls?
No. You will receive fewer telemarketing calls, but some callers are exempt, including Canadian registered charities, political parties and candidates, opinion polling and market research firms conducting surveys, newspapers of general circulation calling to sell a subscription, and organizations you have a business relationship with. Market research and polling calls are not considered telemarketing calls, and neither are debt collection calls, so those organizations do not have to keep internal do not call lists.
Can I register a business number or a fax number?
No, you cannot register a business telephone number; the National DNCL is only for personal telephone numbers. You can register a fax number online or by fax: send a fax to 1-888-362-5329 from the fax machine you want to register, writing the number you want to register and the instruction Please Register.
How do I complain about a telemarketing call?
You can complain online or by phone if you received a telemarketing call that you believe breaks the Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules. File online through the For Consumers tab, or call 1-866-580-3625, Monday to Friday between 8:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. You must provide the name or number of the telemarketer, the date of the call, the nature of the complaint, and your contact information. The CRTC investigates, and if a company broke the rules, it may impose a penalty of up to $1,500 per violation for individuals and up to $15,000 per violation for corporations.
Sources
- National Do Not Call List, Consumer FAQs — what the list is, how to register by phone, online, or fax, the 31-day rule, the exemptions, and how to complain.