CRTC Increases Pay Phone Rates:
Disproportional Impact on Patients
May 2, 2007
Konrad von Finckenstein
Chairman
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission
Ottawa, Ontario
K1A 0N2
Dear Mr. von Finckenstein:
RE: Decision CRTC 2007-27
On April 30, 2007 the CRTC released the above decision allowing telephone service providers to raise pay phone rates “up to a maximum of $0.50 per cash call, and up to a maximum of $1.00 per non-cash call.” We suspect that the providers will move quickly to cash in on this windfall and will probably adjust their rates to the maximum allowed by the implementation date of June 1, 2007.
I am writing today to express concern about the impact of this decision on individuals who are poor, who have a mental illness or may be hospitalized for care and treatment. This includes clients admitted voluntarily or involuntarily to a mental health unit in a provincial psychiatric hospital or a general hospital, clients with mental illness living in boarding homes or other residential care facilities and those who live in the community and cannot afford to have a land line or cell phone.
For hospitalized individuals their only method of communication with friends and families is via a pay phone. If these individuals are hospitalized long-term, their only income is the Personal Needs Allowance, which provides a maximum benefit of $118.00 per month. A 100% increase in the cost of calling their loved ones will seriously and disproportionately impact them as compared to those of us who are much more fortunate and who can afford to drop another quarter in the box if need be. Patients were not provided with notice of the pending increase and it is safe to say that there was little if any consultation with stakeholders in the mental health sector.
Our office believes that pay phone services should be subsidized through other more profitable services and products offered by phone providers. Perhaps companies can work out an agreement with government to write off some of their costs as an indirect charitable endeavour. Alternatively, the CRTC should have considered a system of tariffs that would take into account the unique circumstances of some sectors of the population, or at least phased in any increases over time.
Should you have any questions please contact me at (416) 327-7004.
Sincerely,
original signed by
David Simpson
Director (A)
c.c. Ontario Hospital Association
Ontario Association of Patient Councils
