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e-2687 (Media and telecommunications)

E-petition
Initiated by Daniel Latulippe from Sainte-Anne-des-Lacs, Quebec

Original language of petition: French

Petition to the Government of Canada

Whereas:
  • Access to high-speed internet is not equitable across the country;
  • Service is inadequate or simply non-existent;
  • The pandemic has aggravated problems and regional inequities with respect to telework, telemedicine and distance education;
  • Inadequate service is having a serious impact on the economic recovery;
  • This tool is essential for the economic development of small, medium and large businesses, municipalities and organizations;
  • Many regions are ready to roll out the network but cannot because of barriers involving applications for permits to access support structures (poles) belonging to businesses that own these sites; and
  • In 2016, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) declared high-speed internet an essential service.
We, the undersigned, citizens of Canada, call upon the Government of Canada to invest heavily and quickly, starting in fall 2020, to expand rural broadband connectivity by meeting the 50 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload targets set by the CRTC in 2016, to foster healthy competition, equitable access and affordability, and to hold large corporations accountable for their actions.

Response by the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development

Signed by (Minister or Parliamentary Secretary): SIGNED BY THE PARLIAMENTARY SECRETARY GUDIE HUTCHINGS

The Government of Canada thanks the petitioners for sharing their views on the importance of broadband connectivity in rural and remote regions.

The Government of Canada recognizes that now more than ever, Canadians rely on high-quality broadband Internet services to stay informed, work from home, study, manage their finances, access government services, and stay connected with friends and family.

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has further underscored the necessity of these services. Since the pandemic began, the government has engaged with Canada’s telecommunications service providers to ensure that our networks are able to manage the increased demand to ensure the continued provision of critical telecommunications services at this time. The government has taken several steps to assist telecom service providers, such as extending the payment date for spectrum license fees to provide cash-flow relief, allowing unused spectrum to be shared to increase capacity for wireless services, and accelerating the process to get licenses. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) is similarly engaged with providers regarding COVID-19 issues.

The government is also moving forward on a number of ambitious initiatives to improve broadband access in rural areas more broadly. In recognition of the importance of this issue, the Prime Minister appointed Canada’s first Minister of Rural Economic Development, with a mandate to lead the government’s work to increase high-speed broadband coverage in rural Canada. In June 2019, the government released High Speed Access for All: Canada’s Connectivity Strategy, a historic commitment to connect every Canadian to affordable, high-speed Internet and to improve mobile cellular access from coast to coast to coast. The Strategy outlines Canada's action plan to leverage new and existing investments and technologies, as well as to collaborate with partners to ensure high-speed Internet access for all Canadians at speeds of 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download and 10 Mbps upload, regardless of where they live or work.

Central to the strategy is substantial funding to support network expansion. In the most recent Speech from the Throne, the Government of Canada committed to accelerating the connectivity timelines and ambitions of the Universal Broadband Fund to ensure that all Canadians, no matter where they live, have access to high-speed internet. On November 9, 2020, the Prime Minister announced a scaled-up $1.75 billion Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) to connect Canadians to high-speed Internet across the country. Originally announced in Budget 2019 as $1 billion, this additional funding of $750 million will help advance projects to connect Canadian households and businesses in underserved communities over the next six years. The UBF will include up to $150 million for a Rapid Response Stream with an accelerated application process to allow shovel-ready projects to get started right away, up to $750 million available for large impact projects, and up to $50 million available to support mobile projects that primarily benefit Indigenous peoples. The Prime Minister also announced an agreement of $600 million with Canadian satellite company Telesat to secure low-earth orbit satellite capacity, which will improve connectivity and expand high-speed Internet coverage to the far north, rural, and remote regions across Canada. In addition to these investments, the government is delivering on additional funding allocated in Budget 2019, including a top-up for the successful Connect to Innovate program, and data gathering initiatives to measure household and business Internet access and use.

Under Connect to Innovate, over 200 projects are already underway. Once completed, these projects will bring new or improved high-speed Internet access to over 975 rural and remote communities, including 190 Indigenous communities. These projects also have the potential to benefit up to 390,000 households across Canada. The new Universal Broadband Fund will build on this success and is being designed with the needs of rural and remote Canadians in mind.

The CRTC, Canada’s independent telecommunications regulator, also has a $750 million Broadband Fund in place to help expand universal broadband Internet and mobile access. The fund is supported by a levy on industry. The CRTC’s first call for applications closed in October 2019 and focused on projects targeting broadband and mobile connectivity in the three territories, as well as satellite dependent communities across Canada. The CRTC has announced a series of projects under the first call for proposals that will connect over 10,000 households in 51 communities, the majority of which are Indigenous. A second call for applications closed in June 2020 and focused on all eligible areas in Canada. The CRTC will make successful project announcements under its second call in the coming months. This follows the CRTC declaring broadband Internet and mobile wireless as basic telecommunications services under the Telecommunications Act in 2016. This designation confirmed that these services can be funded via the CRTC’s industry levy.

These investments are complemented by other initiatives including the Accelerated Investment Incentive - an accelerated capital cost allowance designed to encourage businesses to invest, general infrastructure programs administered by Infrastructure Canada, increased investments through the Canadian Infrastructure Bank, and funding for broadband from local levels of government including the provinces and territories.

The government is also taking action to improve access to the spectrum used for wireless services in rural areas. In July 2019, ISED unveiled a smaller set of geographic areas for spectrum licencing that could be used in future licensing processes. These new tiers could make auctioned licences more affordable for smaller providers seeking to provide

Internet services in rural areas. ISED is also making spectrum available to support the deployment of 5G services in Canada by holding three spectrum auctions in the coming years. The next planned auction is for the 3500 MHz spectrum which will be a key band for the initial deployment of 5G services. This will be followed by auctions for spectrum in the millimetre wave bands and the 3800 MHz band. Through its spectrum auction consultations, ISED develops conditions of licence to extend connectivity beyond urban centres into rural areas.

The CRTC has public proceedings underway that are examining access to passive infrastructure and support structures. In December 2019, the CRTC launched a proceeding on barriers to broadband deployment and possible regulatory solutions within its jurisdiction. A broad range of stakeholders are participating in the proceeding. Furthermore, the CRTC also launched a proceeding in October 2020 focused on access to poles. The CRTC has indicated that through the proceeding, it will identify and implement regulatory measures that will make access to poles more efficient. Other complementary actions to promote broadband access include reviewing policy and regulatory frameworks on antenna towers and support structures, raising awareness among stakeholders of the importance of access to passive infrastructure assets needed for network expansion, and the ongoing review of Canada’s communications legislation.

The government looks forward to continuing to engage with Canadians and key stakeholders including the private sector, provinces and territories, Indigenous communities, and not-for-profit organizations in promoting access to high-quality, robust, and affordable broadband networks in all regions of the country.

Open for signature
June 18, 2020, at 10:55 a.m. (EDT)
Closed for signature
October 16, 2020, at 10:55 a.m. (EDT)
Presented to the House of Commons
Marie-Hélène Gaudreau (Laurentides—Labelle)
October 21, 2020 (Petition No. 432-00138)
Government response tabled
December 4, 2020
Photo - Marie-Hélène Gaudreau
Laurentides—Labelle
Bloc Québécois Caucus
Quebec