Canada's television regulator on Thursday capped the price for basic cable at Can$25 (US$20) while ordering broadcasters to offer specialty channels a la carte instead of in large, pricey bundles.
The basic package would include local and regional news and information programs, which the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) said allow Canadians to participate in the nation's democratic, economic, cultural and social life.
But beyond that, Canadians will be able to pick and pay only for the extra channels they want, starting in 2016 when the new rules take effect.
The change is in reaction to widespread discontent over television packages offered by cable and satellite companies that had become too large and costly.
Many viewers complained about having to pay for "bundles" of channels to access one or two they wanted.
Bundling has been very lucrative for cable companies, with prices for packages rising at more than twice the rate of inflation over the past two decades.
The same is true in the United States, which is also facing a viewer backlash.
But consumers now have much more choice: online movie streaming services such as Netflix or downloading entire seasons of television shows on Apple iTunes or Google Play, skirting broadcasters.
The CRTC said broadcasters must adapt to the new technologies and viewing habits.
The changes are part of an overhaul of the rules governing the way Canadians watch television and the prices they pay, following CRTC hearings last year.
