The largest takeover in Canadian telecom history has passed its final regulatory hurdle.

In a statement and news conference on March 31, Federal Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne announced that Ottawa is allowing Rogers Communications to complete its acquisition of Shaw Communications for approximately $20-billion — with a number of conditions attached.

The deal includes the sale of Shaw’s Freedom Mobile, Canada’s fourth-largest wireless carrier, to Montreal-based Videotron for more than $2.8-billion.

“Today, I am informing Canadians that I have secured on their behalf unprecedent and legally binding commitments from Rogers and Videotron,” Champagne said.

He added that transferring Freedom Mobile’s spectrum licenses to Videotron “will ensure that this new national fourth player will be in it for the long haul, be able to go toe-to-toe with the big three, and actually drive down prices across Canada.”

The federal government’s long-awaited decision ends a lengthy review that began after Rogers beat out Bell-parent BCE Inc. in a bidding war for Shaw in March 2021.

Champagne added that his department will launch a review of Canada’s spectrum transfer framework — noting that one hasn’t been conducted in nearly a decade.

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Conditions for Rogers

As part of the agreement, Champagne said Rogers will be...

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