The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) ruled that telecoms in Canada must offer packages at reduced prices for disabled individuals as a best practice. Despite these discounts, plans often remain hidden by an absence of public service announcements. The lack of visibility places the burden on the customer to search for discounts on their own as customer service representatives may be unaware of specialized plans. Furthermore, the application processes for disability discounts varies between providers, between self-identification to being a recipient of provincial or federal income support programs (such as ODSP or GIS), creating a frustrating barrier for those who need these discounted services most.
To help clear the confusion, here are a compiled a list of the major Canadian providers and the accessibility discounts they currently offer:
| Telecommunication Company | Mobile Discount (Cell phone) | Home Internet/TV | How to Qualify | How to Apply |
| Rogers/Shaw (Connect for Success) | Cheapest is 10GB – $25.00/month | Several TV and/or internet packages available | Must be a recipient of an Income support program: ODSP, OW, GIS, CPP-D. Full list here | Phone 1-866-689-0758 or email AccessibilityDiscount@cx.rogers.com for more details |
| Bell | $10 to $35/month bill credit depending on plan | 50% off certain internet packages | Clients 80 years and older automatically qualify (you still have to ask for the discount manually). Other applicants must qualify for the DTC or have their health practitioner fill out this form | Phone 1-800-268-9243 or email accessible@bell.ca |
| Telus | Cheapest is 10GB – $25.00/month | Low-cost high-speed Internet, starting at $10 per month | Recipient of GIS, or a member of Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada (CAFC) | Phone 1-866-558-2273 or email LegalDocuments@telus.com |
| Fido | $10/month discount, 20GB extra data, and voicemail to text | N/A | Proof of a disability association membership, or a member of a government disability program (DTC, ODSP, etc) or a medical note. Fill out this form | Email AccessibilityDiscount @cx.rogers.com |
| Videotron | $20 discount on some mobile plans | N/A | Self identification. However, the customer may be required to provide a disability certificate | Phone 1 (877) 512-0911 or chat with a representative here |