Question Period Note: Connectivity in the North

• We know that the COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced and highlighted the connectivity gap in the North and its far-reaching impacts on the regional economy and access to essential services.

• This is why our Government recently announced the Universal Broadband Fund, which will invest $1.75 billion to help connect 98% of Canadians by 2026 with the goal of connecting all Canadians by 2030.

• We are committed to securing reliable and affordable Internet and essential communication infrastructure for the North to better serve Northerners and all Canadians.

The North has long-faced connectivity issues. Many communities still have slow internet connections and no cell phone service, and priority within networks must be kept for vital services such as telehealth. COVID-19 has increased the impact of the connectivity gap the North faces: In Nunavut, teachers were asked to print and disseminate lessons to primary school students because online schooling is not an option. Many people are unable to work from home, and where they can, are unable to do so to the full extent as those in the South. Without adequate Internet, Northerners are unable to come together with family, friends or as a community, small businesses are not supported, and they do not have the same access to timely information.

In Budget 2019, and in High-Speed Access for All: Canada’s Connectivity Strategy, released in June 2019, the Government of Canada set a national target for universal broadband access, in which 95% of Canadian homes and businesses will have access to internet speeds of at least 50/10 Mbps by 2026 and 100% by 2030, no matter where they are located in the country.

Announced in November 2020, the $1.75 billion Universal Broadband Fund will help connect 98% of Canadians by 2026 by supporting smaller projects through the Rapid Response Stream that can be implemented quickly, large high-impact projects that are transformative in scope and benefit. The Fund will also provide specific funding to support mobile Internet projects that benefit Indigenous peoples and communities.

If pressed on the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework

• The Arctic and Northern Policy Framework gives us a roadmap to achieve a shared vision of the future where Northern and Arctic people can thrive.

• Implementation of the Framework will focus on the co-development of national and regional governance approaches and on plans to implement and make progress on the Framework goals and objectives.

• The collaboration established through the Arctic and Northern Policy Framework is supporting our recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.