Canada's Do Not Call List

 
Today is the day Canada's DO NOT CALL (DNCL) list comes into effect. If you register your phone number with the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, telemarketers will not be allowed to call you without breaking the law ($15,000 fine).

Unfortunately there are some notable exceptions ...

There are certain kinds of telemarketing calls and faxes that are exempt from the National DNCL, including those made by or on behalf of:

• registered charities seeking donations
• newspapers looking for subscriptions
• political parties and their candidates, and
• companies with whom you have an existing commercial relationship; for example, if you have done business with a company in the previous 18 months––such as a carpet-cleaning company––that company can call you

Telemarketers making exempt calls must maintain their own do not call lists. If you do not want to be called by these telemarketers, you can ask to be put on their do not call lists. They are obliged to do so within 31 days.

The new legislation that comes into effect today stipulates how telemarketers are supposed to behave when you are called.

Among other things, telemarketers must:

• identify who they are and, upon request, provide you with a fax or telephone number where you can speak to someone about the telemarketing call
• display the telephone number that they are calling from or that you can call to reach them, and
• only call or send faxes between 9:00 a.m. and 9:30 p.m. on weekdays and between 10:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. on weekends

Telemarketers must not use Automatic Dialing and Announcing Device (devices that dial telephone numbers automatically and deliver a pre-recorded message). However, these devices can be used by police and fire departments, schools and hospitals, as well as for appointment reminders and thank you calls.

You can put your phone number on the list at DNCL or by calling the toll-free numbers 1-866-580-DNCL (1-866-580-3625) or 1-888-DNCL-TTY (1-888-362-5889).

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