“Many Canadians may not know this, but they are paying some of the highest prices in the industrialized world for what’ s widely recognized as poor (internet) service,” says Josh Tabish, campaigns director with OpenMedia, a non-profit which fights to keep the internet free and affordable. The advocacy group appeared before the telecom regulator, the CRTC, during its review of basic telecommunications services.
No home internet ‘nearly impossible to imagine’
One in five Canadian households has no internet service and two in five low-income households have none. OpenMedia argues this perpetuates and accentuates problems of inequality. “In the modern age, it is nearly impossible to imagine life without a high-quality broadband connection in the home,” says Tabish.
“Imagine how hard it would be, as a Canadian, to stay in touch with your friends and family, to apply for a new job, to go back to school and find a new career path. These all increasingly rely on an internet connection, not to mention the government services that are moving online.”
ListenSize of Canada is no excuse, says advocate
Telecoms argue that Canada’s geography makes it difficult to provide service right across the country. Tabish doesn’t buy it: “We need to remember that just 120 or 130 years ago, none of Canada’s communities were connected. So what did we do? We built a railway through the centre of the country to bring transport. We built a telephone system to wire up every house. We built a highway system across the entire country. And now we need to do the same for the internet.”
Speed and acess necessary for all
The CRTC has the power to take part of the revenues from telecom companies and redistribute funds to ensure infrastructure is build and that speed and quality are ensured, says Tabish. And he says all levels of government have a role to play to ensure 100 per cent of Canadians have fast and affordable access to the internet.
“There’s no doubt it’s going to cost money and there’s no doubt that it’s going to be difficult but I ask, what is the cost of leaving Canadians behind? I don’t think it’s one that Canadians can afford.”
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