The campaign calls for the development of a national broadband strategy and long-term federal investment in broadband infrastructure
The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) has launched the “Reliable Internet for Everyone Campaign.” The campaign calls on the Government of Canada to take a leadership position in improving access to internet for the two million Canadians currently without reliable fixed or mobile internet access, as well as the many more with poor access at speeds significantly below the 50 Mbps download speeds identified by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission in 2016 as Canada’s universal service objective.
The FCM calls on the Government of Canada to dedicate $400 million per year over the next four years to develop a broadband strategy with three pillars:
- Clear standards and timelines to achieve the CRTC’s universal service objective, as well as a new target for rural mobile access.
- Long-term, predictable funding in rural, remote and northern communities to support local governments in planning for reliable service.
- Affordable and accessible internet in rural communities matching that of large cities – guaranteeing access to the hardest-to-serve populations.
FCM is calling on municipalities across Canada to raise local awareness of the campaign. RMA encourages members to utilize FCM resources, such as a one-page issue sheet and the Twitter hashtag #universalbroadband to get the word out about what improved internet access would mean for your community.
RMA continues to be a leader in advocating for improved rural broadband support through the FCM’s Rural Caucus, and we look forward to working with FCM to move the campaign forward.
Possibly in response to the launch of the FCM campaign, the Government of Canada has agreed with provincial and territorial governments to develop a Canada-wide strategy to improve access to high-speed internet service for all Canadians. The development of the strategy will include collaboration with municipalities and other stakeholders. RMA will update members as more information about the strategy becomes available.
For enquiries, please contact:
Wyatt Skovron
Policy Analyst
wyatt@RMAlberta.com
Tasha Blumenthal
Director of External Relations & Advocacy
tasha@RMAlberta.com