Consumer Tips

Do Not Call List

Starting on September 30, 2008, you can sign up to reduce the number of telemarketing calls you receive and maintain your personal privacy.

In 2006, the federal government passed a law allowing for the creation of a National Do Not Call List (DNCL) that all telemarketers must respect. When you sign up to have your cellular, home phone or fax number included on it, companies making unsolicited marketing or sales calls can no longer contact you.

If you wish to register for the National DNCL simply call 1-866-580-DNCL (866-580-3625) or log on to http://www.LNNTE-DNCL.gc.ca and follow a few easy steps.

Once you sign up, your number(s) will be added to the National Do Not Call List within 24 hours. Telemarketers then have 31 days to update their own information and make sure they don't call you in their next round of solicitation. Don't expect all calls to stop immediately, though. You could still receive calls within those first 31 days.

If you wish to remain on the List, you must renew every three years (you will not receive notification of this renewal date). As well, if your numbers change, you will have to register your new number(s).

Telemarketers are required by law to subscribe to the National DNCL. It is their responsibility to ensure numbers on the List are not called.
If you receive a call from a telemarketer once you are signed up to the Do Not Call List you can lodge a complaint with the operator of the National DNCL online at http://www.LNNTE-DNCL.gc.ca or by calling 1-866-580-DNCL (866-580-3625).

One important detail: don't hang up if you get an unwanted call! To make a complaint you need to provide the name of the organization that called you OR the number where that organization can be reached, the date of the call and your own number. By law, telemarketers must give you their name and number. After you make your complaint, an investigator will follow up and determine if the rules have been broken.

Calls made on behalf of certain organizations or made for certain purposes (as listed below) are exempt from the National DNCL rules:

• Registered charities

• Political parties

• Nomination contestants, leadership contestants or candidates of a political party

• Opinion polling firms or market research firms conducting surveys (when the call does not involve the sale of a product or service)

• General circulation newspapers calling for the purpose of selling a subscription

• To a consumer who has an existing business relationship with the organization

• To business consumers

If you do not want to be called by an organization, even if that organization is legally allowed to call you, you can ask to be put on its own do not call list. Every telemarketer based in Canada must maintain such a list and respect your wishes not to be called.

Remember:

If you wish to register for the National DNCL simply call 1-866-580-DNCL (866-580-3625) or log on to http://www.LNNTE-DNCL.gc.ca and follow a few easy steps.

To learn more about the National Do Not Call List contact the Canadian Radio-television Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) at www.crtc.gc.ca or 1-877-249-CRTC (1-877-249-2782