TORONTO – This week the City of Toronto said it has partnered with a number of technology and telecommunications companies to provide free temporary connectivity for many vulnerable Torontonians.
The partnerships will provide free internet access for residents in lower-income neighbourhoods, seniors in long-term care homes and clients in many city-operated shelters during the Covid-19 crisis, said the city’s press release.
While the city encourages Torontonians to stay home as much as possible, citizens need to be connected in order to be informed, to find out about pandemic support services, emergency income supports and to stay in touch with family and friends. “To help extend free internet to low-income neighbourhoods, the City received generous donations from technology and telecommunications companies. These donations will help connect 25 large residential apartment buildings in low-income neighbourhoods with temporary free internet access for one year, with the first buildings deployed starting in early May,” reads the release.
These donations include:
- hundreds of permanent mobile access point hardware and contribution of fees for some internet circuits from Cisco Canada
- service management and maintenance from OnX Canada
- fibre and hosting of core infrastructure from BAI Canada
- fibre and single point of presence for internet from Beanfield Metroconnect
- volunteer labour provided by the civic tech community.
As well, Bell will provide free Wi-Fi access in up to 10 low-income buildings for six months, waiving all installation and project management fees, to ensure all users can access the service. Bell Mobility is also working with the city, and with other shelters, social agencies, and organizations that require emergency mobile communications services to provide complimentary phones, tablets, and airtime.
“Technical solutions and signal strength may vary throughout each building, although the aim is to provide enough coverage and strength to read news, submit online forms, use messenger apps, but not stream media/games. Buildings will be identified for this service based on the size and location of the building, proportion of low-income residents and residents without internet access and technology feasibility,” reads the city’s release.
In long-term care homes, the city’s technology services division has deployed free 24/7 Wi-Fi access throughout all 10 City-operated long-term care homes: Bendale Acres, Carefree Lodge, Castleview Wychwood Towers, Cummer Lodge, Fudger House, Kipling Acres, Lakeshore Lodge, Seven Oaks, True Davidson Acres and Wesburn Manor. Previously, free Wi-Fi was only available in common areas and with those closed, residents need other ways to connect.
Inside the city’s shelter sites, Rogers is donating free Wi-Fi for three months to four permanent City of Toronto shelter locations as of April 2020. The Wi-Fi is enabled by fixed wireless access devices to ensure the coverage is available throughout the shelters, says the city. Free Rogers Wi-Fi has also been installed in five temporary shelter locations, to help facilitate physical distancing. Since 2018, there has been free public Wi-Fi access in common areas in all permanent shelter locations, which was donated by Rogers, OnX Canada and Cisco Canada.
Wi-Fi in libraries, malls, coffee shops and restaurants is not enough since most of those are closed and people are not allowed to congregate in groups in those hotspots.
Also, through the Telus Mobility for Good program, vulnerable Torontonians are receiving free handsets from the company. Eligible clients received a cell phone, data plan or a sim card free of charge. Resources provided by Telus were distributed through FOCUS Toronto service agencies and the Toronto Mental Health Support Plan to their clients, based on assessment of need.
“During this difficult time, it’s imperative that our most vulnerable residents have access to the supports they need and are still able to feel a sense of connection while physically distancing in order to protect themselves. I want to thank all of our technology and telecommunications partners for helping to make this possible by making donations to help those most in need,” said Toronto Mayor John Tory in the release.
