diff --git a/changelog.d/6965.feature b/changelog.d/6965.feature
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..6ad9956e406a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/6965.feature
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+Publishing/removing a room from the room directory now requires the user to have a power level capable of modifying the canonical alias, instead of the room aliases.
diff --git a/changelog.d/6970.removal b/changelog.d/6970.removal
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..89bd363b957e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/changelog.d/6970.removal
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+The room list endpoint no longer returns a list of aliases.
diff --git a/synapse/api/auth.py b/synapse/api/auth.py
index b4ac3cc605d1..dc3a8630109a 100644
--- a/synapse/api/auth.py
+++ b/synapse/api/auth.py
@@ -543,13 +543,13 @@ def compute_auth_events(
         return defer.succeed(auth_ids)
 
     @defer.inlineCallbacks
-    def check_can_change_room_list(self, room_id, user):
+    def check_can_change_room_list(self, room_id: str, user: UserID):
         """Check if the user is allowed to edit the room's entry in the
         published room list.
 
         Args:
-            room_id (str)
-            user (UserID)
+            room_id
+            user
         """
 
         is_admin = yield self.is_server_admin(user)
@@ -561,7 +561,7 @@ def check_can_change_room_list(self, room_id, user):
 
         # We currently require the user is a "moderator" in the room. We do this
         # by checking if they would (theoretically) be able to change the
-        # m.room.aliases events
+        # m.room.canonical_alias events
         power_level_event = yield self.state.get_current_state(
             room_id, EventTypes.PowerLevels, ""
         )
@@ -571,7 +571,7 @@ def check_can_change_room_list(self, room_id, user):
             auth_events[(EventTypes.PowerLevels, "")] = power_level_event
 
         send_level = event_auth.get_send_level(
-            EventTypes.Aliases, "", power_level_event
+            EventTypes.CanonicalAlias, "", power_level_event
         )
         user_level = event_auth.get_user_power_level(user_id, auth_events)
 
diff --git a/synapse/handlers/room_list.py b/synapse/handlers/room_list.py
index c615206df151..0b7d3da68008 100644
--- a/synapse/handlers/room_list.py
+++ b/synapse/handlers/room_list.py
@@ -216,15 +216,6 @@ def build_room_entry(room):
                         direction_is_forward=False,
                     ).to_token()
 
-        for room in results:
-            # populate search result entries with additional fields, namely
-            # 'aliases'
-            room_id = room["room_id"]
-
-            aliases = yield self.store.get_aliases_for_room(room_id)
-            if aliases:
-                room["aliases"] = aliases
-
         response["chunk"] = results
 
         response["total_room_count_estimate"] = yield self.store.count_public_rooms(