The New Plan for Improved High-Speed Internet Access in Canada
Publié le 14 April 2022
The new plan for Improved high-speed internet access in Canada aims to provide people with the resources they need to stay connected and explore new opportunities with in-demand remote work job roles.
The internet is an integral part of daily life for millions of people. It is a vital component of how people communicate, connect with loved ones and do their jobs to the best of their ability. The past two years saw a dramatic increase in the number of people working from home as result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even as larger numbers of working professionals have been returning to the office, it is clear that a majority of people prefer hybrid working arrangements, with a substantial remote work component.
Having access to reliable high-speed internet is what makes this possible, and what has led to an increase in the number of in-demand remote work job roles in Canada. Despite the increasing calls to classify the internet as a public utility, access is not equal in every part of Canada. A new plan for improved high-speed internet access in Canada aims to provide real solutions and help people across the country gain access to the personal and professional benefits of high-speed internet.
“Being connected to the Internet in this day and age is no longer a luxury. Simply put, it’s a necessity.”
The Connecting Families Initiative
The Connecting Families Initiative was first announced in August of 2021, and has recently expanded to its second phase. The new plan for improved high-speed internet access in Canada creates a voluntary partnership between the Federal Government and 14 Internet Service Providers (ISPs) with the goal of providing affordable high-speed internet access for low-income families across the country.
The details of the Connecting Families initiative include:
“For that $20 per month service fee, participants in the Connecting Families 2.0. program will have access to internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (mbps) for downloads and 10 mbps for uploads. Participants will have a data allotment of up to 200 GB per month (up from 100 GB under a previous version of the initiative.)”
The goal of providing reliable modes of communication between families and friends is certainly worthwhile and noble. The initiative also creates more economic opportunities as it will provide people with the resources necessary to get hired and succeed in many in-demand remote work job roles.
Important Stats About High-Speed Internet Access in Canada
- 87.4% of Canadians in urban communities have high-speed internet access
- 45.6% of Canadians in rural communities have high-speed internet access
- 34.8% of Indigenous communities in Canada have access to high-speed internet
The Price of Internet in Canada
Canada ranks high in global rankings of the average happiness of its citizens, but those surveys probably weren’t performed right after these citizens had to deal with Canada’s limited options. Canadian telecommunications is dominated by the Big Three: Bell, Rogers and Telus. The Big Three have taken steps to reduce prices and there are other internet provider options, but these companies still account for almost 90% of total users in Canada, who pay some of the highest average prices in the world for cellular services and internet access. This creates problems of affordability and accessibility for families, working professionals and job seekers looking for an in-demand remote work job role across the country. Hopefully, this can be addressed with the announcement of these companies participation in the Connecting Families initiative.
The Cost of Internet Access In Rural Canada
Canada’s population is disproportionately located in a few metropolitan areas, with over 81% of Canadians living in cities, and 95% of all Canadians living within 160 km (100 miles) of the border with the United States. Despite this lopsided concentration, millions of people still live in rural areas and communities across the country, and the number of people moving to more rural areas is also increasing. Canada’s internet access also disproportionately favours cities, with those living in rural areas experiencing dramatically slower internet speeds, lower data caps and steeper overage charges.
People who live in rural communities therefore experience greater hardship communicating with their families and friends and ordering needed products and services, and are less likely to find work in in-demand remote work job roles. It has been recommended that remote workers have an internet download speed of at least 50 mbps, while the average internet download speed in rural areas is only 9.75 mbps. This means that people in rural areas will experience far greater difficulty having a strong enough internet connection to complete the required tasks and projects in remote work jobs roles, and will also be required to spend more money to do it.
This problem is even more pronounced in Indigenous communities, where more than two thirds of “on-reserve” homes do not have high speed internet access. People living in Nunavut, for example, have an average download speed of 5 mbps, one tenth of the recommended minimum of 50 mbps for remote work job roles.
These slower and less reliable internet speeds severely limit the types of job roles available to people living in these communities, essentially leaving them out of the remote work boom. This new initiative is part of the government’s previously announced goal of providing high-speed internet access to everyone in Canada by 2030, hopefully also providing the same access to the remote work job market.
The Benefits of Access To In-Demand Remote Work Jobs
The past couple years have allowed a great number of professionals to experience the benefits – and some of the drawbacks – of remote and hybrid working arrangements. Many have found that benefits such as increased personal time, a lack of commuting and flexible scheduling far outweigh the negatives. It also allows both employers and job seekers to cast a much wider net when recruiting for in-demand remote work jobs in Canada, one not limited by geographic proximity.
People without access to reliable high-speed internet at affordable rates have essentially been denied these same opportunities to find employment and enjoy the benefits of remote work. This new plan for improved high-speed internet access in Canada should help provide people with more access to the job market, allowing them to expand their job search to find rewarding and stable careers.
Learn more about the Connecting Families initiative and see if you are eligible on their official website, and find your next in-demand remote work job roles.
