Rural broadband spending should be priority in next budget: NDP MP

Parliamentarians who stuck around the House of Commons for a Wednesday evening debate on a Liberal motion to take a hard look at Canada’s rural broadband gap said spending on underserved areas must be high up on the government’s agenda. “The NDP calls on the government to make the overdue, substantial investment in rural connectivity a priority in the 2019 federal budget,” NDP MP Wayne Stetski said on Wednesday, adding the 2018 budget didn’t do enough for rural Canadians who “deserve no less.” The debate was triggered by private members motion M-208, introduced by Liberal MP William Amos in early November, which seeks to address gaps in rural digital infrastructure. Representatives from all three parties supported the motion, but some still had concerns about what is being done to address issues including timeliness, coverage, and commitments to the basic service standard. “In the final year of this government’s mandate directing two standing committees to study this issue, only serves to delay the action rural Canadians need now,” Stetski said. “These Canadians want a strategy with timelines for getting people connected, and the funding to make it happen.” Liberal MP David Graham chimed in to say that the motion “is so urgent, that I would ask the committee to deal with it immediately.” Last year, the Federation of Canadian Municipalities said the government would need to commit at least $4 billion over 10 years to address the gap they say leaves about two million Canadians without reliable fixed or mobile internet. The FCM’s request was referenced during debate on several occasions. Then, in November, the country’s auditor general found flaws in the government’s approach to rural connectivity funding, including the selection process for projects that wasn’t maximizing government returns. In a cabinet shuffle earlier this year, the Trudeau government created a new position, headed by Nova Scotia MP Bernadette Jordan, to lead work in improving rural broadband coverage. At the time, the Prime Minister’s Office said Jordan would work with Innovation Canada (ISED) on the agenda. In the fall economic update, Finance Minister Bill Morneau announced an initiative that will allow telecoms to more quickly write-off, for tax purposes, investments in broadband infrastructure, which they hope would spur rural broadband spending. ISED has pledged $500 million by 2021 to bring high-speed internet to 300 rural and remote communities, through its Connect to Innovate program, which Stetski said is “appreciated but falls far short of what’s needed.” The department said it expects most program agreements to be signed by April. The CRTC has its own five-year, $750 million fund for rural broadband. Amos wondered Wednesday whether the $750 million over five years is enough. “That’s an interesting step forward,” he said. “Is it enough, though, is a big question because we’re going to need more than $750 million to cover off some of the needs of rural Canada.” CORRECTION: Due to an onscreen display error during the televised debate, a previous version of this story incorrectly attributed the NDP's comments to Richard Cannings, not Wayne Stetski.

Rural broadband spending should be priority in next budget: NDP MP

Brief | February 21, 2019

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Rural broadband spending should be priority in next budget: NDP MP

Brief | February 21, 2019

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