By Ahmad Hathout
The federal government is being asked to answer questions about the specific terms of its over $2-billion loan to Canada’s space darling Telesat and its Lightspeed project, which was finalized last week.
Dan Mazier, Conservative MP from Manitoba, has tabled questions swiftly after the sitting of the fall session Monday asking about terms of the agreement, including how many households and by what date Telesat has committed to connecting with high-speed internet; how many of those households will receive upgraded and new broadband services; what the breakdown is for each province and territory; specific communities it has committed to cover; how many jobs will be created as a result of the loan; complete details of financial penalties if those terms are not met; and what is the government’s equity stake in Telesat.
Lightspeed is being billed as Canada’s largest ever space program, supporting 2,000 jobs across the country through Telesat and its supply chain, including satellite contractor MDA Space, which is best known for developing the Canadarm technology, the series of robotic arms used by the Canadian Space Agency.
The program is already underway, with the first of an initial 198 low-Earth-orbit satellites scheduled to launch in 2026, accelerating the federal government’s pledge to connect all Canadians to high-speed internet by 2030. The federal commitment confirmed on Friday, builds on a previous funding arrangement that included a $790 million loan and $650 million in preferred equity.
The PMO says the network will also bolster federal satellite communications technology and support the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD).
Construction is underway on a 185,000 sq. ft. expansion at MDA’s satellite manufacturing facility in Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue, Que., where it plans to add 600 new high-skill technology jobs. Telesat has already increased its Canadian workforce by 33 per cent over the past year.
Federal financing for the project is being provided as a repayable loan, with the federal government to receive interest and stock warrants.
Mazier isn’t new to the internet file. His private member’s Bill C-288, which requires telecoms to provide Canadians with the “typical” download and upload speeds they should expect in peak periods, received royal assent this summer.
Photo of Conservative MP Dan Mazier
