Good morning! This is Queen Street Analytics' weekly roundup of regulatory developments, legislative discussions, political announcements and other government-related news concerning ICT, cloud computing, digital infrastructure, social media platforms, digital privacy, AI, cybersecurity, blockchain, and Web3. Every Monday, we break down the most important updates in this space in under five minutes.

Want to track other GR news in adjacent industries? Don’t miss this week’s updates in Finance.

Dates: 2025-07-27 to 2025-08-02

📋 In This Week's Newsletter

• 🇨🇦 Canadian Federal GR News
• 🇺🇸 US Federal GR News
• 🗺️ Canadian Provincial GR News
• 💬 Government Consultations
• 📚 What We're Reading This Week

Canadian Federal GR News

CRTC Approves Temporary Commercial Radio News Fund to Support Local News

On August 1, 2025, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) gave conditional approval to the Canadian Association of Broadcasters' plan for the new Commercial Radio News Fund (CRNF). The CRNF will provide funding to commercial radio stations in smaller Canadian communities, particularly where radio is often the primary news source. The CRNF forms part of the CRTC’s continued implementation of the amended Broadcasting Act, which includes mandates for online streaming services to fund Canadian and Indigenous content. The CRTC has already launched 15 separate consultations to further modernize the regulatory framework, following its June 2024 decision requiring base contributions from online streaming services to be directed toward broadcasting priorities, with local news cited among immediate needs. Eligibility criteria for access to other local news supports, such as the Independent Local News Fund for television, have recently been confirmed. Details on the fund’s governance and allocation will be monitored according to the submitted plan.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

CRTC Outlines Regulatory Frameworks, Competition, and Consumer Protections

CRTC Chairperson Vicky Eatrides and General Counsel Rachelle Frenette delivered remarks at the CIPPIC Summer Speaker Series on July 31, 2025, addressing the role of the CRTC within Canada’s broader telecommunications regulatory framework. The CRTC is focused on recent legislative changes, ongoing public consultations, and its regulatory mandate under the Telecommunications Act. Efforts continue to advance rural broadband connectivity via the Broadband Fund—over $750 million has been disbursed to date for projects serving 50,000 homes and 290 communities, alongside deployments improving mobile coverage and fibre builds. The Commission is managing competitive forces with targeted measures: smaller wireless providers gain temporary access to national networks to boost market choice, but must transition to their own infrastructure by 2030; new wholesale Internet rules allow competitive use of fibre in specified conditions, with protections to preserve ongoing network investment. Initiatives in consumer protection included the launch of a comprehensive Action Plan addressing issues such as 'bill shock,' plan transparency, cancellation fees, and consistent communications on outages, with eventual plans to unify consumer codes under a single framework.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

Canada Launches Consultation on GHz Spectrum for Backhaul Expansion

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) opened a consultation on August 2, 2025, concerning the policy, technical, and licensing framework for fixed service deployment in the 21.2–21.8 GHz and 22.4–23.0 GHz frequency bands. The initiative aims to accommodate increasing backhaul demands, particularly supporting digital infrastructure expansion and network capacity growth. Written submissions are invited by September 18, 2025, with public comments to be published on the ISED website. Respondents may submit materials electronically or by mail, with required reference to Canada Gazette, Part I, and notice number SMSE-007-25.

Sources: Gazette, Part I: www.gazette.gc.ca

Canada and United Kingdom Partner on AI Alignment Research

The Honourable Evan Solomon, Minister of Artificial Intelligence and Digital Innovation, announced on July 30, 2025, a new bilateral initiative involving the Canadian AI Safety Institute and the UK AI Security Institute. Canada is contributing $1 million through the Canadian Institute for Advanced Research to the UK’s Alignment Project, which aims to address technical challenges in aligning advanced AI systems to intended outcomes. The international consortium, with $29 million in total investment from entities including Amazon Web Services and Schmidt Sciences, will distribute grants of up to $1.8 million, provide advanced compute access, and offer venture capital to selected projects. The advisory board includes prominent researchers, with the intent of facilitating research, cross-border collaboration, and commercial solutions on AI safety and governance.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

CSE and NSERC Fund Multimodal Unstructured Data Analysis Project

The Communications Security Establishment Canada (CSE) and the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) announced on July 28, 2025, $5.6 million in new funding over four years to Professor Benjamin Fung’s ZenithVector project at McGill University. The initiative, involving 14 collaborators from 10 Canadian universities, targets scalable intelligence and cybersecurity analytics for unstructured data types such as text, code, and images. The program is being funded as part of the NSERC-CSE Research Communities Grants, supporting the development of toolkits for large-volume, multimodal data exploration, visualization, and threat detection—a priority area for CSE and the federal cybersecurity agenda.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

CRTC Approves New Commercial FM Radio Service in Yellowknife

On July 30, 2025, the CRTC approved 506992 N.W.T. Ltd. (Cabin Radio) to operate a new English-language FM commercial radio station in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories. The decision follows a competitive two-day public hearing held in February, with Cabin Radio’s case receiving strong community backing and meeting the CRTC’s regulatory criteria. The move will broaden local news and programming options for Yellowknife residents and create additional space for Indigenous and French-language content within the market. The Commission permitted the addition of only one new station to maintain market stability, denying a competing application from Vista due to concerns about market impact.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

Federal and BC Governments Invest $77 Million to Expand Rural Internet and Mobile Networks

On July 28, 2025, the Governments of Canada and British Columbia jointly announced over $77 million in funding for 15 projects bringing high-speed Internet to over 6,900 rural and remote households, including 1,200 Indigenous homes. An added $7 million will reach 727 more households and extend mobile service to 120 km of roadways in partnership with CityWest and TELUS Communications. The initiative forms part of the broader Connecting Communities BC program, launched in 2022 with a target of 98% connectivity by 2026 and universal access by 2030. The investment utilizes the Universal Broadband Fund, with a specific focus on Indigenous and underserved areas.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

CRTC’s Ongoing Transparency Regarding Decisions and Hearings

On August 2, 2025, the CRTC reiterated that all original decisions, notices of consultation, regulatory policies, and orders are posted in full via its website as required under Part I of the Commission’s Rules of Practice and Procedure. This process allows interested parties to examine public proceedings, application materials, and the evolving regulatory record in both telecommunications and broadcasting.

Sources: Gazette, Part I: www.gazette.gc.ca

Virtual Health Tech Access Expanded for Saskatchewan’s Remote Indigenous Communities

The Government of Canada, on August 1, 2025, reported that Virtual Health Hub (VHH) joined the Coordinated Accessible National (CAN) Health Network with new applications in Saskatchewan’s remote communities. Investments since 2019 have totaled $42 million. Upcoming projects include deployment of Luxsonic Technologies’ VR diagnostic platform and Virtual Hallway’s digital consultation system, supporting improved clinical decision-making and specialist access for regions with limited in-person care.

Sources: Announcements: www.canada.ca

US Federal GR News

Executive Order Accelerates Federal Permitting for AI Data Centers and Infrastructure

Executive Order 14318, published July 28, 2025, instructs federal agencies to accelerate permitting and approvals for new large-scale data center infrastructure, including AI data centers, high-voltage transmission lines, energy facilities, semiconductors, networking, and data storage elements. Projects defined as 'Qualifying Projects'—primarily those with capital expenditures exceeding $500 million or with national security implications—can access streamlined financial supports, including grants, loans, and tax incentives coordinated by the Secretary of Commerce. The order revokes EO 14141, sets new categorical exclusions for NEPA reviews, and places authority for process oversight with the Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council. There are detailed provisions for use of federal lands and expedited EPA, Endangered Species, and Clean Water Act processes. Relevant agencies will coordinate project allocations and costs, with the Department of Energy covering implementation expenditures.

Sources: U.S. Federal Announcements: www.federalregister.gov

TSA Seeks Comments on Ongoing Pipeline Cybersecurity and Security Program Requirements

On August 1, 2025, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) opened a public comment period regarding renewal and revision of the Pipeline Corporate Security Review (CSR) program and the mandatory TSA Security Directive Pipeline-2021-02 series. CSR reviews assess site-based pipeline security practices, while the SD series entails annual Cybersecurity Implementation Plan submissions by 100 designated operators, yearly updates to Cybersecurity Incident Response Plans, and compliance documentation. The estimated total annual burden for mandatory requirements is 80,231 hours, with significant reporting obligations protected as Sensitive Security Information. Public comments are invited through September 30, 2025.

Sources: U.S. Federal Announcements: www.federalregister.gov

White House Releases Digital Asset Policy Recommendations Following GENIUS Act

The President’s Working Group on Digital Asset Markets released a fact sheet July 30, 2025, outlining steps to strengthen U.S. leadership in digital financial technology. Proposals call for the CFTC to have expanded regulatory authority over non-security digital asset spot markets and recommend further regulatory clarification for DeFi and stablecoins. The recently signed GENIUS Act establishes a federal framework for stablecoins, and further legislative action is encouraged to bolster user privacy and prohibit Central Bank Digital Currency issuance. Recommendations also address updating anti-money laundering procedures for digital assets, clearer tax guidelines for token-based activities, and treatment of digital assets as a separate asset class to align tax policy with market realities.

Sources: White House Announcements: www.whitehouse.gov

International Trade Commission Imposes Exclusion Order in Liquid Cooler Patent Case

The U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) finalized a Section 337 investigation on July 24, 2025, finding SilverStone Technology, Enermax Technology, and Shenzhen Apaltek in violation of patent rights regarding certain liquid coolers for computer electronics after a complaint by Cooler Master Co., Ltd. A limited exclusion order prohibits the importation of infringing products and is coupled with a cease and desist order against SilverStone Technology, Inc. The ITC concluded there were no public interest factors weighing against the decision, with a bond amount set at 0%. The '941 design patent claims were withdrawn during proceedings.

Sources: U.S. Federal Announcements: www.federalregister.gov

CBP and CISA Extend E-Commerce and Critical Infrastructure Information Collections

The Department of Homeland Security is collecting public comments on two separate information collection reviews as announced July 29, 2025. U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) is extending its Section 321 E-Commerce Data collection pilot, involving more than 134 million annual responses from carriers and brokers as part of its initiative to adjust regulatory approaches for growing digital trade. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), through the Office for Bombing Prevention, also requests feedback on its TRIPwire information platform for counter-IED data, with annual costs estimated at $16,333 affecting government and private sector security professionals.

Sources: U.S. Federal Announcements: www.federalregister.gov, U.S. Federal Announcements: www.federalregister.gov

Canadian Provincial GR News

New Brunswick Launches Review of Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act

The Government of New Brunswick began a comprehensive review of the Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act on July 28, 2025, inviting stakeholder and public input to modernize privacy and access protocols in line with changing technology.

Sources: Provincial Announcement: www2.gnb.ca

Ontario Invests $260 Million in Skills Development Fund, Including Cyber and AI Training

Ontario announced $260 million for its sixth round of the Skills Development Fund on July 29, 2025. Recipients include AI and cybersecurity skill-building initiatives, aimed at upskilling workers in various sectors including health care, manufacturing, and digital services.

Sources: Provincial Announcement: news.ontario.ca

Government Consultations

What We're Reading This Week

• BlackBerry, Global Affairs Canada, and TMU's Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst Expand World-Class Cybersecurity Training in Malaysia: BlackBerry partners on global cybersecurity workforce development with Canada and TMU.
• Distributed Firms Deploy New Cybersecurity Approaches: New cybersecurity models are being adopted by distributed enterprises.
• CPPIB loans $225-million for expansion of Ontario AI computing data centre: CPPIB provides financing for a significant Ontario AI data infrastructure project.
• Green Power Meets Cloud Scale: How Google (GOOGL) Shapes India’s Digital Infrastructure: Examination of Google’s green energy and cloud expansion in India.
• Must-Watch Streaming Stocks Powering Digital Content Wave: Review of streaming platforms accelerating digital media adoption.
• The U.S. Must be Prepared for the Fast-Approaching Quantum Security Risk: CrowdStrike executive discusses quantum threats and crypto agility.

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