Vicky Eatrides has been named the new chairperson and CEO of the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).

Minister of Canadian Heritage Pablo Rodriguez announced Eatrides (pictured right) will replace outgoing chairperson and CEO Ian Scott, whose term ends Jan. 4, 2023, according to a news release issued Monday (Dec. 19).

Eatrides will be responsible for the supervision and direction of the work and staff of the CRTC, including presiding at meetings of the Commission, in a term that begins Jan. 5.

The minister also announced the appointment of Alicia Barin (pictured left) as vice-chairperson, broadcasting, and Adam Scott (pictured bottom right) as vice-chairperson, telecommunications. Barin has served in the role in an interim basis since August, and will begin her five-year term on Feb. 8. Scott will succeed outgoing vice-chairperson Christianne Laizner, and begin his term on Jan. 16. Laizner’s term was initially set to end on July 17, 2023, but she will instead retire in January, Playback understands.

Eatrides has worked in federal public service since 2005, most recently as assistant deputy minister at the Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED). Before then she practiced federal regulatory law at Stikeman Elliott LLP. She has held a number of senior roles at the Competition Bureau of Canada, where she developed her expertise in telecommunications and broadcasting through her work on merger reviews, investigations, and regulatory interventions. She also taught competition law at Queen’s University.

Barin has been with the CRTC since 2019, when she was appointed regional commissioner for Quebec. She has more than 20 years of experience in Canada’s broadcasting industry working at Astral Media, where she formerly served as VP of strategic planning. Scott has been with ISED since 2001. He currently works as director general of the spectrum policy branch, providing advice to the federal government on telecommunications regulatory and competition issues.

Eatrides takes the helm as the CRTC looks ahead to the passage Bill C-11, a.k.a. the Online Streaming Act, which would update the decades-old Broadcasting Act to provide a regulatory framework for the digital and streaming era.

The bill’s next step is its third reading at the Senate, which has adjourned until Jan. 31, 2023.

Eatrides will also be tasked with overseeing the reconsideration of a previous Commission decision in CBC/Radio-Canada’s broadcast licence renewal. The Governor in Council ordered the CRTC to reconsider chances to the public broadcaster’s conditions of licence, including exhibition and expenditure requirements for working with independent producers.

Ian Scott leaves the role with more than 25 years of policy and regulatory experience in broadcasting and telecommunications both in the public and private sectors. He first joined the CRTC from 1990 to 1994, helping develop a framework for long-distance telephone service competition in Canada. Between 2007 and 2008, he was part of the Executive Interchange Program and senior policy advisor to the chairman at the CRTC. Scott rejoined the CRTC in 2017.

Laizner has been with the CRTC since 2010, first joining as general counsel of telecommunications, before becoming senior general counsel and executive director of the legal sector in 2013. She was named vice-chairperson, telecommunications in 2018. Before joining she CRTC she was a trade negotiations counsel for the Department of Foreign Affairs (later renamed to Global Affairs Canada), and was general counsel and executive director of the Canadian International Development Agency’s legal services branch.

“The new leadership team at the CRTC will help modernize the regulator and stand up for Canadians and for our creative professionals,” said Minister Rodriguez in a statement on the appointments. “The CRTC will undoubtedly benefit from the shared digital, broadcasting and telecommunication expertise that these leaders will bring to the table. I would also like to thank outgoing chair Ian Scott and vice-chair Christianne Laizner for their outstanding service to the CRTC and Canadians over the years.”

Photo of Vicky Eatrides courtesy of Couvrette Ottawa; photo of Alicia Barin by Patrizia Castlione; photo of Adam Scott courtesy of ISED

With files from Victoria Ahearn