OTTAWA and GATINEAU — The CRTC announced today it is now inviting comments from Canadians about the actions it should take to improve telecommunications services in the Far North, an area it defines as including Northwest Territories, Nunavut, Yukon, 17 communities in northern British Columbia, and Fort Fitzgerald, Alberta.
This marks the second phase of the CRTC’s consultation about the state of telecom services in northern Canada. The first phase was launched in November 2020.
“During the first phase of the consultation, residents of the Far North told us that everyone living in Canada should have affordable access to telecommunications services that are reliable and that allow for the same online activities as those available in the South, such as video conferencing,” reads a CRTC press release.
“The comments received as well as the data collected through public opinion research allowed the CRTC to narrow the scope of issues it should address in the next phase,” the release explains.
The CRTC now wants to hear Canadians’ views on what actions it should take to make home phone and Internet services in the Far North more affordable, reliable and competitive, and to better support reconciliation with Indigenous peoples, the release says.
To help facilitate participation, the CRTC prepared a summary with key information, available in Inuktitut, Inuinnaqtun, Cree and Chipewyan.
The CRTC is accepting comments until Oct. 6, 2022.
The Commission also announced it will hold an in-person hearing starting April 17, 2023, at the Kwanlin Dün Cultural Centre in Whitehorse, Yukon. Parties will also be able to participate remotely in the hearing.
“Geography has played a significant role in the telecommunications options available to consumers in Canada,” said Ian Scott, CRTC chairperson and CEO, in the release.
“We need to collaborate with people living and working in the Far North to ensure they have a similar level of service as the South. We want to hear from all Canadians, and especially from Indigenous Peoples in the Far North. This is your chance to tell us about the particular needs for broadband Internet and telephone services in your community.”
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