How to Cancel Cable or Satellite TV in Canada: CRTC Rules and Steps

Do you need to give 30 days' notice to cancel TV in Canada?

No. The CRTC prohibited 30-day cancellation policies in 2014, and its consumer page states that you do not need to provide 30 days' notice before cancelling your phone, mobile, Internet or TV services.

To cancel, you would typically phone, email or send regular mail to your current provider, and you should check your contract in case it names a specific way to do it. The provider must cancel right away unless you ask for a later date. According to the CRTC, billing stops as soon as your services are cancelled, but if you have a contract, you may need to pay cancellation fees.

If you are moving your services to another Canadian TV, internet or phone provider, the CRTC recommends asking the new provider to transfer them for you. The new provider cancels the old services on your behalf, and you can keep your phone number if you ask for it before the original contract is cancelled. When TV moves to an app over your internet connection instead, you normally cancel the TV part yourself.

What does the TV Service Provider Code protect?

The CRTC's Television Service Provider Code sets the rules most TV providers must follow. It is meant to help you understand your service agreement and any promotional offer, and it requires your provider to notify you 30 days before any change to the price of channels, bundles of channels or rental equipment.

For persons with disabilities, the Code allows cancelling without penalty within the first 30 days if the service does not meet their needs. It applies to licensed TV providers, including cable, IPTV and national satellite services; independently owned providers with fewer than 20,000 subscribers are not subject to it.

If you cannot resolve a problem with your provider, you can complain to the Commission for Complaints for Telecom-television Services, the CCTS, which handles complaints about TV services and the Code. The CRTC is also consulting on combining its consumer protection codes into one, so check its pages for the current version.

What should you check on your bill before you cancel?

A few minutes with your latest statement tells you what you will actually save and what could still be charged.

Note: Before cancelling, also ask about the CRTC basic package, priced at no more than $25 a month, not including equipment. If you only need local stations, it can be the cheapest way to keep cable.

Can cancelling TV change your internet bill?

Yes. If TV and internet are bundled, part of the discount may depend on keeping both. Ask your provider for the internet-only monthly price after TV is removed, including equipment and taxes, and keep the answer in writing.

Ask to remove only TV rather than closing the whole account, so your internet keeps working. In March 2026 the CRTC also announced that it is eliminating extra fees to activate, change or cancel Internet and cellphone plans, in Telecom Decision CRTC 2026-43, which matters if you change your internet plan at the same time.

How much do you pay for IPTV instead?

ScanFlick's four Premium plans are each priced as one total in US dollars for the whole term, not Canadian dollars. The 12-month plan is $99.99 in total, and the 1-month plan is $19.99 if you prefer to start short.

As a dated reference, the Bank of Canada's indicative rate on November 6, 2026 was 1.4113 Canadian dollars per US dollar, which puts the 12-month total at about CAD 141.12. Your bank converts the amount at its own rate on the day you pay, and some cards add a foreign transaction fee.

How do you cancel cable in Canada step by step?

This order keeps you covered: TV stays on until the new setup has proven itself, and every answer is on record.

1. Test IPTV on your main TV for several evenings at your usual viewing times while cable is still active.
2. Measure internet speed on the TV itself and check your plan's monthly data allowance, since streaming uses far more data than browsing.
3. Ask your provider for the internet-only price, any commitment fee and the basic package option, and keep the answers in writing.
4. Cancel the TV service by phone, email or mail, or the method your contract names, and choose the end date you want.
5. Ask for a confirmation and the equipment return instructions, then return every receiver and remote and keep the receipt.
6. Check your next statement to confirm TV charges have stopped, and contact the CCTS if a problem cannot be resolved with the provider.