NEW ROSS, NS – The federal government unveiled Canada’s first rural economic development strategy Thursday that, among other priorities, seeks to boost reliable and affordable high-speed Internet and mobile connectivity.
Rural Opportunity, National Prosperity: An Economic Development Strategy for Rural Canada notes that as of 2018, only 37% of rural households are currently able to access the CRTC’s target high-speed Internet speeds of 50 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload, compared to 97% of households in urban areas, and that 14% of major Canadian roads and highways still lacked mobile wireless coverage.
Minister of Rural Economic Development Bernadette Jordan also unveiled High-Speed Access for All: Canada’s Connectivity Strategy that will help conjoin exiting initiatives such as ISED’s Connect to Innovate, the CRTC’s broadband fund, and Budget 2019’s high-speed connectivity commitments to overcome Canada’s national connectivity gap. The strategy does not contain any new funding.
“Canada’s rural communities play an important role in our country’s social and economic well-being,” said Minister Jordan, in a statement. “By working to provide high-speed Internet and greater mobile access to rural Canada, working with our partners and finding ways to maximize federal investments; we will help unlock rural opportunity for all. Together, these strategies will serve as a roadmap for the long-term success and prosperity of rural Canada.”
Initial reaction from stakeholders was positive.
"Today’s announcement is a solid plan toward a more connected Canada," said Xplornet CEO Allison Lenehan in a tweet posted this morning.
“We welcome the government’s continued commitment to rural broadband, including its recognition that problems with access to passive infrastructure create a real barrier to broadband rollout and must be addressed,” added Canadian Communication Systems Alliance CEO Jay Thomson, in a statement. “We also appreciate the funding commitment for broadband which was announced in the Budget and referenced again in today’s announcement. Such funding is an important and welcomed start, although we agree with the widespread view that more will be needed to achieve our shared goal of universal broadband access for all Canadians, wherever they live.”
“High quality internet service has never been more important to Canada's culture and economy, yet major gaps in high-speed access remain,” added Canadian Internet Registration Authority president and CEO Byron Holland. “We are about to release a report showing that while average download speeds have consistently grown in urban areas, they have significantly outpaced improvements in rural communities, leaving those internet users at a disadvantage. Thankfully, today's strategy lays a foundation to help address these disparities. For universal access, the goal posts are clear. Now it's up to industry, advocates, and all levels of government to help make it happen."
