Monique Lafontaine, Principal
Monique Lafontaine is an experienced communications and entertainment lawyer with over 25 years of experience. She served as Commissioner for Ontario at the CRTC, General Counsel and VP of Regulatory & Business Affairs of a publicly traded Canadian broadcaster. She also served as General Counsel and Director of Regulatory affairs at the Directors Guild of Canada.
Earlier in her career, she worked in the Communications & Technology Law Group at McCarthy Tétrault. Monique is member of Women in Communications and Technology. Monique regularly presents on the subject of communications law and policy. For a selected list of affiliations, presentations and publications, click here. Monique is fluently bilingual in English and French.
She served as Commissioner for Ontario at the CRTC between 2 January 2018 and 1 January 2023. During her tenure as CRTC Commissioner, Monique rendered decisions on many complex telecommunications, broadcasting and enforcement matters. These matters included establishing broadcasting and telecommunications policies for Canada; developing eligibility criteria and making funding decisions for the CRTC's $750 million broadband fund; telecommunications enforcement; and rendering television and radio licensing decisions.
During her five-year term, Monique also served as a CRTC panel member for the public hearings considering the Rogers Communications Inc. acquisition of Shaw Communications Inc., the CBC/Radio-Canada licence renewal and the CRTC's telecommunications misleading practices proceeding.
Monique has advised domestic and international clients on a wide range of regulatory matters including public policy proceedings, CRTC broadcast applications (radio, satellite radio, conventional television and specialty television), amendments and renewals of CRTC television and radio broadcast licences; regulatory compliance; digital media regulation; Canadian content definitions and certification; as well as feature film policy and distribution.
Monique has appeared before the CRTC on numerous occasions and has in-depth knowledge of CRTC rules and procedures. Monique has also appeared before the Copyright Board of Canada and the Standing Committee for Canadian Heritage.
During her career, Monique served as General Counsel as well as Vice-President Regulatory and Business Affairs of a publicly traded Canadian broadcaster. She also served as General Counsel and Director of Regulatory affairs at the Directors Guild of Canada. Earlier in her career, Monique worked in the Communications and Technology Law Group at McCarthy Tétrault where she developed in-depth knowledge of broadcast regulation and policy.
Monique received her B. Adm. and LL.B. from the University of Ottawa, and was called to the Bar of Ontario in 1994. She obtained a Masters of Law from Osgoode Hall Law School in 1999. Her Master's thesis focused on Foreign Ownership in the Canadian Television Broadcasting sector.