i heard a rumour that Bell canada and the other major telcos are
required by law to provide their phone directory data to interested
parties at no charge.

I have a 2 part question:
a) IS THAT TRUE?
b_ if not, what are the best way(s) to get a hold of the directory
data for businesses in canada?

Dear asm_internet,

What you heard is half true:

-- Yes, it is true that Canadian telephone companies are required to
make their telephone directory data, both residential and
non-residential, available to other parties in machine-readable form.
The Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission
specified this in several Telecom Decisions, in particular CRTC 90-12
and CRTC 95-3.

-- No, it is not true that the Canadian telephone companies are
legally obligated to provide their directory data for free to
interested other parties. The companies can request a fee in exchange
for the data. The relevant conclusion in the Telecom Decision CRTC
95-3 says:

"The Commission finds that the telephone companies should be required
to make residential and non-residential, non-confidential subscriber
listing information available in machine-readable form, on an
exchange-level basis, under their general tariffs. Specifically, the
telephone companies are to make available the information elements
specified in Decision 92-1. The Commission's findings as to specific
tariff provisions are set out below, as are the Commission's
directions as to the filing and issuing of tariff pages."

What data and directory content exactly must be made available by the
telephone companies is defined in the Telecom Decisions cited below.

I hope that this answers your question.
Regards,
Scriptor


Sources:

Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission: Telecom
Decision CRTC 95-3
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/eng/Decisions/1995/DT95-3.htm

Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission: Telecom
Decision CRTC 90-12
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/eng/Decisions/1990/DT90-12.htm

Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission: Telecom
Decision CRTC 92-1
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/archive/eng/Decisions/1992/DT92-1.htm

Thanks! That answers half my question.
can you answer  this (tip is in anticipation of any assistance u can provide).


Q. what are the best way(s) to get a hold of the directory
data for businesses in canada?