Videotron, others, are skeptical of Bell’s commitments
By Denis Carmel
MONTREAL – On Friday, Bell Canada issued a news release announcing new measures to simplify the process for access to poles by recipients of the Québec Branché and Régions Branchées grant programs and other service providers.
This follows a process announced by the Government of Québec back in May 2020, along with the members of a working group that was tasked to accelerate the deployment of high-speed Internet in rural regions through a program financed by the Government of Québec.
“To address the many technical challenges associated with the deployment of fibre…
Continue Reading
OTTAWA – While tomorrow’s news will be utterly dominated by the U.S. election, November 3, 2020 will be the launch day of a new Broadcasting Act as Heritage Minister Steven Guilbeault is expected to table the long-awaited amendments (and some other Acts, too, apparently) to the law.
While things could change at the last minute, the Heritage Ministry has scheduled technical briefings for the new proposed amendments with the both the press and the industry – and the federal government doesn’t do that unless and until it has first tabled the bill in the House of Commons.
According to the Continue Reading
TORONTO/MONTREAL — Telefilm Canada today announced its 2019-2020 annual report is now available. The report can be found online here.
In total, Telefilm Canada provided $102.2 million in funding support in 2019-2020, including $78.3 million in Canadian audiovisual industry support and $23.9 million in promotional support, through various programs and activities.
Telefilm also announced it will hold its annual public assembly in a digital format this year, on January 21, 2021. During the virtual assembly, members of Telefilm’s executive leadership team will discuss results as well as priorities going forward. Telefilm says more details are to follow.
telefilm.ca
Continue Reading
TORONTO – The Canadian Media Producers Association this week announced the addition of six new members to the organization’s board of directors.
This follows a partial board election, held earlier this fall, “as part of the CMPA’s commitment to elevate voices of individuals from underrepresented communities within its organization,” says the press release.
The new CMPA Board members are (pictured clockwise from top left): Damon D’Oliveira, Conquering Lion Pictures; Archita Ghosh, e→d films; Jennifer Holness, Hungry Eyes Media; Haydn Wazelle, Tabula Dada Productions; Darcy Waite, Turtle Mountain Media, and; Chantal Jackson, Vendetta Entertainment.
“While today’s announcement marks the end of our election…
Continue Reading
TORONTO – Since its launch earlier this month HireBIPOC has seen impressive growth in a matter of weeks, with over 3,500 members now registered, making it one of the largest rosters of its kind.
With strong support from the Canadian screen-based industries, HireBIPOC’s membership features individuals in roles that span the Canadian media and entertainment landscape including production, executive, and administrative roles and today more than a dozen new industry and community partners have joined in support of the initiative to “shift hiring practices, increase representation, and eradicate systemic racism in the Canadian media landscape,” reminds today’s press release.
“Making systemic…
Continue Reading
By Ahmad Hathout
YELLOWKNIFE – Members of the legislative assembly of the Northwest Territories (NWT) are losing patience with a regional government they say hasn’t formulated an economic plan to pull the territories out of a broadband slumber that awaits long-desired expanded connectivity while relying on very few companies to deliver it.
During assembly debates last week, MLAs lobbed questions and concerns at Finance Minister Caroline Wawzonek about an alleged lack of broadband financial planning in the budget to apply for federal programs, while also charging that the region has become too reliant on Bell subsidiary Northwestel, the dominant service…
Continue Reading
Broadcasting industry needs relief from Covid, Netflix impacts
By Denis Carmel
GATINEAU – Back in July, the newly invigorated Canadian Association of Broadcasters (CAB) requested measures to provide regulatory relief to private Canadian broadcasters on an urgent basis in the face of the hardships presented by the Covid-19 crisis.
The Commission responded on September 17, by issuing a call for comments on the application – along with some of its own preliminary views on the CAB’s application – while also asking for comments on seven specific questions.
Of course, the CAB application represents the views of its members suffering serious ad…
Continue Reading
CALGARY — In what it calls a first for Western Canada, Shaw Business today announced it has deployed an industrial-grade private LTE network custom-built for mining systems, which will used to provide greater coverage and connectivity at Teck Resources’ Elkview Operations in British Columbia.
(Private LTE networks have been deployed at mining sites in other parts of the country, including Agnico Eagle’s LaRonde mine in Abitibi, Quebec.)
Developed in partnership with Nokia, the 5G-ready private LTE network built exclusively for Teck was created to support the mining company’s RACE21 initiative designed to transform how the company mines by harnessing technology…
Continue Reading
Applications for pre-eligibility open October 30
MONTREAL — Telefilm Canada today issued an industry advisory announcing the details and criteria for applying to the government of Canada’s Short-Term Compensation Fund (STCF) for Canadian audiovisual productions are now online.
The STCF was created as a temporary measure to fill the void left by the lack of insurance coverage for filming interruptions and production shutdowns due to Covid-19 in the Canadian audiovisual production sector. As we reported here, the fund will make up to $50 million available to the industry.
“Through the Fund, Telefilm Canada will indemnify eligible producers for Canadian…
Continue Reading
MONTREAL – While recent news swirling around the company has been about other things, Cogeco Inc. posted good fourth quarter and year-end 2020 results as broadband demand remained high in Canada and the U.S.
For the quarter ended August 31, 2020, revenue increased by 2.2% over Q4 2019 to reach $624.2 million while adjusted EBITDA reached $300 million, an increase of 6.7%. Cogeco Inc. contains Cogeco Communications (Cogeco Connexion in Canada and Atlantic Broadband in the States) as well as the company’s Quebec radio stations.
Full year revenue came in at $2.48 billion, a 1.4% increase over 2019 and…
Continue Reading
