“The promise of the internet rings hollow without a connection” Says Hughes
MPP Carol Hughes, Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing
Recently, I spent time meeting with constituents in the Northwest corner of Algoma-Manitoulin-Kapuskasing. A constant theme in too many locations throughout the constituency is the lack of reasonable internet access. For businesses, students, and individuals the high-speed internet gap is holding rural Northern Ontario back and limiting options and opportunities in the region.
The problem isn’t limited to this regional delivery either. A 2010 Harvard University report showed that our internet is slower and more expensive than we care to admit. It poured cold water on a 2009 CRTC report that claimed Canada was a leader for broadband internet among G-7 countries.
The Harvard report judged broadband internet by household and population penetration, speed, and price. When compared with the 30 member states of OECD, Canada ranked 19th. We trail countries like the United States, Sweden, Denmark and Japan – the countries we ‘compete’ with for trade and productivity. The statistics for next-generation service are even worse. By the time we add the regional drop-off in service we can see that Canada is not as well poised to compete in the digital economy as we might like to believe.
In northern and rural areas the internet should be revolutionary. It is a technology that is meant to break down the barrier of physical distance and allow regions like ours to be as connected and competitive as any other place. With spotty service and an incomplete commitment from the federal government to ensure under-serviced areas are brought up to speed, it amounts to a barrier that limits our productivity and opportunity.
This affects individuals who want to stay in touch by e-mail or get information from the internet. In national terms, the government has cut back its presence in our communities while encouraging Canadians to visit websites to receive services that were previously available at walk-up outlets like Service Canada. Without ensuring that most Canadians are able to access these websites, the government has put the cart before the horse.
It affects students who cannot take advantage of distance learning. This can greatly increase the cost of post-secondary education and is a limiting factor for students as they work their way through elementary and high school as well.
For businesses the internet gap can make a huge difference. While it is possible to run an entire venture from anywhere in the world, a prerequisite is the ability to actually get online. This week I visited a multi-million dollar workplace in Hornepayne that is being run off an i-phone because they can’t get the internet on site. I also heard about their difficulty in attracting and retaining skilled workers who don’t want to be cut-off from their loved ones and interests in a location with no internet access.
This should be a warning as we are set to develop the Ring of Fire. Those modern work sites will need access to high-speed internet for practical business reasons and to retain their work-force. While Canada may have been a leader in broadband access at the turn of this century we no longer are and need to admit as much and address it.
