After today, Canadians shouldn't have to worry as much about the annoying spam calls that have been plaguing residents way more than usual lately. At least, that's the hope.

The CRTC set today as the deadline for cell phone companies to implement stronger call blocking technologies across their networks. A new universal blocking system will prevent calls from fake numbers or numbers more than 15 digits long.

You now have an additional level of protection against nuisance calls! As mandated by the CRTC last year, call blocking comes into force on December 19, 2019. https://t.co/07yA6qW4wc pic.twitter.com/MKIFq9ut9v

— CRTCeng (@CRTCeng) December 17, 2019

Some service providers, like Telus, already have their own special means to block suspicious calls, and so won't have to adopt the new system.

All Canadian providers will also be required to take additional steps against robocalls over the course of next year: the CRTC will be working with the companies to trace the origin of suspicious calls, and by September, there will be a framework in place to verify legitimate caller IDs.

There are also third-party apps available to the public, such as RoboKiller, that allege to aid in preventing nuisance calls.

But if you're really looking for the ultimate way to avoid spam calls, you should just employ the typical millennial social tactic of never answering the phone.