This blog-article was selected as a winner of the best research blogs contest Generation1.ca sponsors at Humber College each semester. Read all about the contest and winning blogs.
By Laurel Hitchcock
Have you ever been driving north in Canada and watched your internet access disappear? High-speed internet has become a necessity around the world. Canada experiences disparities in internet connectivity despite being a developed country. With the ever-changing dynamic of the world, internet connection has never been more important for activities of daily living such as work, school, services and participation in conferences and extracurricular activities. Ninety-one percent of households in Canada had high-speed internet connection in 2021, but the proportion of connectivity varies by geographic location (Raycraft, 2023). High-speed internet is defined by the Canadian Government as "50 megabits per second (Mbps) for downloads and 10 megabits per second for uploads" (Raycraft, 2023).
The Importance of High-Speed Internet Connectivity
On March 11, 2020, The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 infection, a pandemic (Ghebreyesus, 2020). Internet connectivity became extremely important as children, students and adults needed to connect to school and work remotely (Hodges et al., 2020). Government services shifted online as well. Doctors' appointments and mental health counselling became offered remotely (Canadian Institute for Health Information, 2022). Since then, many businesses have stayed using a hybrid approach continuing the increased necessity for high-speed internet connection that the pandemic exacerbated (Roy, 2022). Despite the pandemic, the digital world we live in already creates this demand. Instant access to crucial information like health records and bank statements requires a speedy and reliable connection in the home and on the go (Mundie, 2022).
The Connectivity Issue
There is a large disparity between urban, rural, and Indigenous reserves' access to high-speed internet. While 88% of individuals living in rural settings have access to the internet at home, only 48% of them had internet speeds of 50Mbps, compared to 76% of those in urban settings (Statistics Canada, 2021). For high-speed internet access on First Nation reserves, this number drops to 42.6% (Raycraft, 2023). Rural Canadians, and Indigenous Peoples on reserves face challenges of slow speeds and unreliable access to internet caused by infrastructural barriers such as low population density and Indigenous communities right to self-determination (Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, ISEDC, 2022). Many main highways and roads throughout Canada lack access to high-speed mobile networks that can pose a safety risk for Canadians on the road (ISEDC, 2022). Whether a Canadian is in a car accident, has run into car issues, or is in danger of threatening road conditions, each Canadian should have access to mobile internet on the road to call for assistance, especially on remote roads.
Rural Canadians and Indigenous Peoples on Reserve
Rural Canadians make up one fifth of the Canadian population and are key to Canada's agriculture and resource sectors (ISEDC, 2019). Rapidly advancing technologies and climate change are impacting rural communities significantly more than urban Canadians, subsequently affecting employment, skills training, migration, and housing needs (ISEDC, 2019). Rural Canadians need access to high-speed internet for business growth, public safety, access to services, skills training, and participation in the democratic process (ISEDC, 2019). Since the creation of the internet, it has been made clear that a platform to share information and communicate with anyone, no matter the distance, continues to pose an instrumental function in everyday business.
We can connect with anyone or search for any information within a matter of seconds. Considering Canada's advantageous economic position, rural Canadians should not be disadvantaged in their access to internet and subsequent business ventures because there are barriers to create the infrastructure. Rural areas pose challenges to build proper infrastructure due to low population density, remoteness, and often difficult terrain (ISEDC, 2019).
Canada has advanced technology and the means to create this paramount infrastructure for these communities. Rural communities have voiced to the federal government that children often have to do their homework at local coffee shops to access decent internet connection, Interact machines are unreliable so businesses must rely on cash or cheques, and residents must use the internet at off peak hours to acquire a useable speed (ISEDC, 2019). Challenges like this have led to a difficulty to retain youth, attract talent, grow businesses, train workers, and adopt newly advancing technologies, negatively affecting rural communities' quality of life and businesses (ISEDC, 2019).
Indigenous Peoples on reserves also face a unique challenge. Due to telecommunication infrastructure often being provided by for-profit companies, expanding to Indigenous reserves has been impeded (Schwientek, 2023). There is a mistrust between the Canadian government and Indigenous Peoples of Canada, due to the long history of the Canadian government's abuse of power over Indigenous Peoples (Loppie et al., 2020). Indigenous Peoples prefer the ability to construct their own telecommunication infrastructure due to this mistrust with the Canadian government and for-profit companies.
A First Nations-owned telecommunications provider, Kuhkenah (K-Net), works to ensure that infrastructure on Indigenous reserves is Indigenous-owned for them to invest in it and set their own costs (Schwientek, 2023). This results in years-long processes with bureaucracy, further impeding the progress of universal connectivity (Schwientek, 2023). The Ontario government has contributed to overcoming some barriers by providing multiple streams of funding for expanding internet access to First Nations, as well as revising regulations that limit telecommunications growth (Schwientek, 2023).
Canada's Plan
Aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals, in 2019, the Canadian Government initiated Canada's Connectivity Strategy, with an overall goal of affordable, universal access to high-speed internet and mobile coverage "where Canadians work and live, and along major road corridors" (ISEDC, 2022). The sub-goals of this project were to reach 93.5% of Canadians with high-speed internet by 2022, 98% of Canadians by 2026 and 100% of Canadians by 2030 (ISEDC, 2022). Canada has already fallen short of the first target. Canada's Connectivity Strategy explicitly states that high speed internet is no longer a luxury, it is essential (ISEDC, 2022).
As part of the Rural Economic Development Strategy, announced in 2019, the Universal Broadband Fund is designed to increase connectivity among rural and Indigenous communities across Canada (Department of Finance Canada, 2019). The federal government has allocated $3.225 billion to the Universal Broadband Fund to build infrastructure in even the most remote locations in Canada (Department of Finance Canada, 2019). This includes supporting fiber optics and similar technologies, as well as, building a Low Earth Orbit Satellite to target remote areas including Nunavut, who currently have the least available internet connection (Department of Finance Canada, 2019).
The Accelerated Investment Incentive encourages the private sector to invest in rural high-speed internet (Department of Finance Canada, 2019). Connect to Innovate was launched in 2016 with the goal of leveraging money out of the private sector to fund connectivity projects nation-wide, resulting in $554 million from the private sector to fund 180 projects that have affected 900 communities, with 190 Indigenous communities included (Department of Finance Canada, 2019). There are many avenues the federal government has taken to improve internet connectivity in Canada, but they must be held accountable to their goals, as the quality of life of Canadians and efficiency of businesses depend on it.
Planning Towards a Future of Reliable Internet Access
The quality of life in Canada and around the world demands reliable and consistent high speed internet access. It is necessary for Canadians throughout the country, rural and urban, to access remote school, work, and services. The Canadian Government has begun this quest to increase Canada's connectivity but is already falling short. This issue requires more pressure to force the government to act fast, and act now. Every Canadian can lobby their MPs and MPPs by writing letters and creating petitions. For a more hands-on approach, research local town hall meetings or events you can go to where you can speak face-to-face with constituents to increase pressure on the government. Before voting in provincial and federal elections, investigate how the different government parties will ensure universal connectivity and consider this in the next election. It is in the hands of every Canadian to hold the government accountable and ensure universal connectivity nationwide.
References
Canadian Institute for Health Information. (2022). Virtual care: Use of physician mental health services in Canada. https://www.cihi.ca/en/virtual-care-use-of-physician-mental-health-servicesincanada#:~:text=Mental%20health%20services%20increased%20among,among%20specialties%20varied%20by%20jurisdiction.
Department of Finance Canada. (2019). Building a Better Canada: Universal High-Speed Internet. Government of Canada. https://www.budget.canada.ca/2019/docs/nrc/infrastructure-infrastructures-internet-en.html
Ghebreyesus, T. (2020). WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing on COVID-19 - 11 March 2020. World Health Organization. https://www.who.int/director-general/speeches/detail/who-director-general-s-opening-remarks-at-the-media-briefing-on-covid-19---11-march-2020.
Hodges, C., Moore, S., Lockee, B., Trust, T. & Bond, A. (2020). The difference between emergency remote teaching and online learning. EDUCAUSE Review. https://er.educause.edu/articles/2020/3/the-difference-between-emergency-remote-teaching-and-online-learning.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. (2019). Rural Opportunity, National Prosperity: An Economic Development Strategy for Rural Canada. Government of Canada. https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/rural/en/rural-opportunity-national-prosperity-economic-development-strategy-rural-canada
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada. (2022). High-Speed Access for All: Canada's Connectivity Strategy. Government of Canada. https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/high-speed-internet-canada/en/canadas-connectivity-strategy/high-speed-access-all-canadas-connectivity-strategy.
Loppie, S., Reading, C. & de Leeuw, S. (2020). Indigenous Experiences with Racism and Its Impacts. National Collaborating Centre for Indigenous Health. https://www.nccih.ca/docs/determinants/FS-Racism2-Racism-Impacts-EN.pdf
Mundie, J. (2022). Many Canadians struggle to afford pricey high-speed home internet in urban areas. National Post. https://nationalpost.com/feature/left-behind-urban-internet-access
Raycraft, R. (2023). Canada falling behind on connecting rural areas to high-speed internet: report. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/federal-government-internet-rural-1.6792060#:~:text=While%20nearly%2091%20per%20cent,households%20on%20First%20Nations%20reserves
Roy J. (2022). COVID-19, digitization and hybrid workspaces: A critical inflection point for public sector governance and workforce development. Canadian Public Administration. https://doi:10.1111/capa.12475.
Schwientek, S. (2023). First Nations high-speed internet access lagging behind Canadian average. CBC News. https://www.cbc.ca/news/indigenous/first-nations-high-speed-internet-access-lagging-behind-canadian-average-1.6815370
Statistics Canada. (2021). Access to the Internet in Canada, 2020. Government of Canada.https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/daily-quotidien/210531/dq210531d-eng.htm
Laurel Hitchcock is currently a Research Analyst Graduate student at Humber College with a background in Health Sciences. She is passionate about health, equity, and well-being, looking to strengthen her expertise in the research field to meaningfully contribute to equity in Canada, specifically in the healthcare industry.
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