Telecoms extend deadline to close Rogers-Shaw deal to March 31

The companies involved in Rogers Communication's $26-billion deal to buy telecommunications rival Shaw Communications have extended their deadline to complete the transaction.

Rogers, Shaw, the Shaw Family Living Trust and Quebecor Inc. say they have pushed the deadline back to March 31 from Feb. 17.

If approved, the deal first announced in March 2021 will see Rogers acquire Shaw, while Quebecor's Videotron subsidiary will nab Shaw's Freedom Mobile wireless business.

The deal has yet to close because it is still waiting for approval by Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne who must sign off on the transfer of wireless spectrum licenses from Shaw to Videotron.