Standing Committee on Industry, Science and Technology

Comité permanent de l'industrie, des sciences et de la technologie

For immediate release

Ottawa, April 17, 2018 -

On April 17th, 2018, the Standing Committee on Industry Science and Technology presented its Eleventh Report in the House of Commons entitled Broadband Connectivity in Rural Canada: Overcoming the Digital Divide, in which the Committee makes 12 recommendations.

The digital divide harms all Canadians by preventing a share of the population to benefit from the same opportunities and services, and thus to fully participate in the economy. Small providers, non-profit providers, and non-incumbent providers could provide service in unserved or underserved areas if the current broadband deployment framework was modified.

In order for rural and remote communities to have on par service with urban centres, it is important for the Government of Canada to adjust the regulatory framework of broadband deployment to make it economically feasible for these providers to offer services in their communities. Considered an essential service, all Canadians should have access to broadband Internet, regardless of where they live.

The Committee held seven meetings on this study in Ottawa and received 50 oral and written submissions.

The report is available on the Committee's web site.