MP BRAD VIS LAUNCHES CONSULTATIONS ON RURAL INTERNET ACCESS

May 7, 2020

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

MISSION, BC – Today, Brad Vis, Member of Parliament for Mission-Matsqui-Fraser Canyon joined his Conservative colleagues in launching a consultation process on the issue of inadequate rural internet access.

“I hear regularly from residents who know all too well the struggle with accessing suitable internet in rural communities. It is an issue that has been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic, as more and more kids are completing schoolwork online and adults are working remotely,” MP Vis said. “It’s an issue that Justin Trudeau promised to address, but so far, he has failed to achieve any progress on.”

“Rural internet customers have had enough, and action must be taken now,” said MP Vis.

Five years ago, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) designated broadband internet an essential service. Despite this, too many Canadians in rural and remote regions still do not have consistent internet access.

The urban/rural divide on this issue is going to grow even wider with the installation of 5G networks in urban areas, because many rural communities still do not even meet the CRTC speed benchmark of a 50 megabytes per second (MBPS) download and 10 MBPS upload speed.

It is for these reasons that Conservatives are calling on the Liberal government to outline a concrete plan to fix the issue of rural internet access, a plan that must connect all Canadians by 2021 at the speed benchmark that has been set by the CRTC.

“I urge residents and businesses to get in touch with my office regarding our rural internet access consultations. This is a chance for those of you who have been living with this issue to have your voices heard,” MP Vis said. “I know there are some innovative and common-sense ideas that will come from our community and I am looking forward to putting these ideas before the government in the future.”

The Conservative consultation document can be viewed here.

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