A. Referral – we cannot accept the complaint

Assessment (Level 0)

When we receive a complaint, we’ll confirm that the complaint is complete and then conduct a Procedural Assessment. If we conclude that the complaint is out-of-scope, or that we have a duty to decline to take action, we will close the complaint at level 0.

When a complaint is closed at level 0:

• The complaint will NOT be reported as an accepted complaint
• The PSP will NOT be billed for the complaint

We cannot accept the complaint: What is the next step?

We will contact the customer to explain the reasons why we cannot handle their complaint and we will refer the customer back to their PSP; a copy of this response will be sent to the PSP. The complaint will be visible from the “Concluded” tab in the PSP Dashboard:

Our Procedural Code requires that we refer the customer to any agency, body, or organization which we believe may have the jurisdiction to handle the customer’s complaint. If applicable, we will inform the customer and/or include the referral information in the written response.

If we believe that the complaint falls under the jurisdiction of the CRTC, including complaints about regulated services and circumstances where a CRTC exemption takes precedence or where we’ve determined that the service provider is not required to participate in the CCTS, we will also forward a copy of the complaint to the CRTC.

For more information about other agencies, bodies and organizations that may be available to assist customers with complaints when the CCTS cannot take action, please see the Resources page on our website.

What happens when we can accept part of the complaint, but not all of it?

If ANY part of the complaint falls within the scope of our mandate, we have to accept the complaint. However, we will not take action on any part of the complaint that falls outside of the scope of our mandate, and the PSP will not be required to address the out-of-scope portion of the complaint.

When we accept the complaint, we will identify the part(s) of the complaint that we cannot not take action on and explain the reasons why. In these circumstances the PSP is still required to respond to the in-scope portion of the complaint. In the event that the PSP believes that part(s) of the complaint is out-of-scope, even if it was not identified by the CCTS, the PSP is still required to respond to the in-scope issue(s) raised by the customer.

Do you need to respond to the referral?

Do not respond to the CCTS. How you handle the referral, including a customer who contacts you in response to the CCTS referral, is up to your discretion and the CCTS should not be kept informed of the outcome.

What if the customer disputes our assessment?

If the customer contacts the CCTS to dispute our assessment, we will respond to the customer and address their concerns. When required, we will re-assess the eligibility of the complaint. If our assessment of the complaint changes, we will inform the PSP.