Caitlin O’Neill took an entry-level role reviewing short code applications for the CWTA (now CTA). Fourteen years later she’d run the program. But back then it wasn’t obvious. The role was high-turnover, low-context. Short codes were obscure, 2FA didn’t exist, and premium SMS was still king. But she stayed. And got curious.

Over the next 14 years, that curiosity turned into depth—and that depth turned into leadership. Today, as Director of Messaging Products at the Canadian Telecommunications Association (CTA), Caitlin manages the entire national messaging ecosystem. From short code policy to 10DLC onboarding and RCS process design, she’s not just at the table—she’s often setting the agenda, asking the questions, and keeping things moving when no one else can.

And in this edition of One Expert, One Topic, Caitlin shares how Canada’s messaging framework works, why self-regulation requires constant vigilance, and what you need to know if you want to do business in Canada.

About The Series

This is the thirtieth installment in the One Expert, One Topic series, where field experts break down one big idea using Matt Abrahams’ What / So What / Now What format. Written instead of recorded, so you can actually absorb it.

What

The Canadian messaging ecosystem is complex—and deceptively quiet. It looks orderly on the surface only because someone’s working behind the scenes to hold it together. That someone is usually Caitlin’s team.

In her role at CTA, she works across short codes, 10DLC, and RCS (RBM) to align carriers, aggregators, and brands—many of whom are direct competitors. She doesn’t have a big staff or a sweeping enforcement mandate, but she still facilitates everything from provisioning standards to policy coordination.

Short codes are well established in Canada. CTA has administered the program since 2003. The framework is collaborative, carrier-backed, and supported by enforceable policies. But for 10DLC and RCS, the work is newer—and more nuanced. There’s no shared enforcement structure. Instead, Caitlin and her team are helping define best practices, build registries, and create centralized reference points that let businesses know what to expect before they launch a campaign.

So What

If you’re running a messaging campaign in Canada, and you don’t know what Caitlin or the CTA does—you’re already behind.

• Short codes: CTA sets the policies, reviews applications, and enforces compliance.
• 10DLC: CTA is building the registry and establishing common vetting standards and criteria—but carriers enforce the rules.
• RCS: CTA’s designing the onboarding process—but again, it’s up to carriers to act on it.

This shifting enforcement landscape makes her job harder—because people assume the CTA plays the same role across all channels. They escalate 10DLC delivery issues the same way they would a short code block. But the rules aren’t the same, and neither is the infrastructure.

Still, Caitlin doesn’t pass the buck. If a pattern emerges, she surfaces it. She listens, connects, and convenes the right people before small issues become systemic. That blend of curiosity, discipline, and care is why her role works—and why the ecosystem works at all.

Now What

Here’s what Caitlin wants messaging providers, brands, and global partners to understand about Canada:

• Don’t assume anything. The rules for short codes don’t map 1:1 to 10DLC or RCS. Learn what’s different—especially around who enforces what.
• Expect consistency, not sameness. Canada’s strength is in aligning carriers to agree on a shared baseline. That doesn’t mean all channels look the same—but the process for getting live should feel familiar.
• Start with the CTA. Even when they’re not enforcing a channel directly, the CTA is building the frameworks, the documentation, and the process guidance. If you want to do business in Canada, start there.

Because in a self-regulated market, clarity isn’t a given—it’s something you build. And in Canada, the reason messaging feels orderly is simple: it’s Caitlin’s team holding it together.