‘High-speed’ action needed following CRTC ruling

OTTAWA– Following the historic decision from the CRTC that declares high-speed internet access an essential service, the NDP is calling on the Liberal government to ensure access to this service across the country.

“This ruling is great news for the far too many Canadians who have limited or no access to high-speed internet,” said NDP Finance Critic Guy Caron, who participated in the CRTC hearings on the on behalf of the NDP. “Access to this basic service should be a right in Canada.”

Currently, Canada has some of the slowest broadband speeds among developed nations and Canadians are forced to pay for the most expensive internet packages in the industrialized world. The CRTC has ruled that coverage should be 100% accessible within 10-15 years.

“The Liberal government must now work with industry to ensure we meet these important goals at high-speed,” added Caron, whose rural riding suffers from a lack of adequate fixed broadband and mobile wireless coverage. “Broadband and mobile access should be part of basic infrastructure and Canadians should not have to pay the price to make this service accessible.”