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楼主 / dftimes
- 时间: 2023-6-05 07:09A recent report highlights the significant disparity in high-speed internet access between First Nations communities and the Canadian average, prompting calls for increased government subsidization to bridge the connectivity gap. According to the Auditor General's report on connectivity in rural and remote areas, nearly 91 percent of households across Canada met the minimum connection speed targets set by the federal government in 2021. However, this number dropped to around 60 percent for households in rural and remote areas and a mere 43 percent for households on reserves.
The lack of high-speed internet access severely limits opportunities for participation in the digital economy and impedes access to crucial services such as remote healthcare and education, as emphasized in the report. Jesse Fiddler, director of Kuhkenah (K-Net), a First Nations-owned and operated information and communication technology service provider, compared the ideal situation to the provision of highways and roads. However, the challenge lies in the fact that Canada's telecommunications infrastructure has traditionally been developed by for-profit companies.
The report also highlighted the significant discrepancies in First Nations connectivity across different provinces. While Ontario's provincial government has made commendable efforts by offering multiple funding streams for organizations working to bring high-speed internet access to First Nations and reevaluating restrictive regulations, other regions, such as Manitoba, continue to face challenges. The report indicated that only 15 percent of households on First Nations in Manitoba have access to the minimum target speeds, and the province does not provide targeted funding for First Nations internet development.
Rob McMahon, an associate professor in media and technology studies and political science at the University of Alberta, emphasized the difficulty in making a business case for better broadband infrastructure in Indigenous communities. These communities are often geographically dispersed with small populations, which disincentivizes telecommunications companies that prioritize profits. McMahon also pointed out that service providers have not adequately upgraded local infrastructure, resulting in slower and unreliable internet speeds in remote communities.
Fiddler emphasized the need for the federal government to subsidize the maintenance and development of infrastructure in rural and remote areas, including First Nations communities, to ensure accessibility and sustainability. At K-Net, efforts are made to ensure that all local infrastructure is owned by First Nations, allowing them to set their own rates and generate revenue from the services. However, bureaucratic processes and changing circumstances often prolong the timeline for implementing better internet access, sometimes taking years to complete.
The report revealed that by January 2023, only 40 percent of the $2.4 billion available through federal departments and agencies for improving internet or mobile cellular connectivity had been spent. Stakeholders also expressed dissatisfaction with the lengthy funding decisions. Fiddler called for streamlining the application and funding process to expedite access and reduce cost overruns resulting from delays.
To achieve the federal goal of providing high-speed internet access to 100 percent of households in Canada by 2030, a coordinated approach involving federal and provincial governments, as well as funding agencies, is necessary, according to Fiddler. McMahon expressed optimism, citing new technologies such as satellite systems, like SpaceX's Starlink, designed to provide fast internet service in areas where building fiber optic networks is prohibitively expensive. With the right strategies and adequate support, bridging the connectivity gap in First Nations communities and achieving universal high-speed internet access across Canada by 2030 is an attainable goal. -
High-speed internet access in First Nations lags behind the
