OTTAWA – The next steps in developing a public safety broadband network (PSBN) in Canada have been delayed for two years now and counting.
Such a network has the potential, according to Public Safety Canada’s website, “to improve the effectiveness and safety of first responders and the public safety community.”
A PSBN “is a secure high-speed wireless data communications network that can be used by emergency responders and public safety personnel to communicate with each other in emergency situations, planned events, and day-to-day operations,” a Public Safety Canada spokesperson said in an email to Cartt.ca.
The most recent development towards the establishment of a PSBN in Canada was a 2019 progress report published by the Temporary National Coordination Office (TNCO), which was set up in 2018 for a two-year period to engage with stakeholders and make recommendations for the development of a PSBN.
Almost three years have passed since the report was published.
The next step for the TNCO – which is comprised of representatives from federal government departments such as ISED and Public Safety Canada, several provincial and territorial governments, and non-governmental organizations including the Canadian Association of Fire Chiefs – was to provide a policy paper to federal, provincial and territorial (FPT) ministers responsible for emergency management in early 2020, according to the progress report.
The spokesperson from Public Safety Canada confirmed the TNCO’s two-year mandate has ended. The group’s final report, however, has not yet been delivered.
“While the TNCO report was originally planned for 2020, the publication was delayed due to pressures related to supporting floods, wildfires and COVID-19 response,” the spokesperson wrote. “The TNCO Report is expected to be released once it has been presented to FPT Ministers Responsible for Emergency Management in Spring 2022.”
According to the TNCO’s progress report, the final report is to “address gaps in analysis, including governance options, expand on current recommendations and findings, and propose a way forward for the establishment of a PSBN in Canada that best delivers on the PSBN Principles while balancing the diverse needs of stakeholders.”
The federal government has been working towards implementing a PSBN for nearly seven years now.
In 2015, the government’s budget allocated $3 million for the initial steps towards its development and two years later, allocated another $3 million to engage stakeholders and gather and analyze relevant evidence, according to Public Safety Canada’s website.
Furthermore, ISED confirmed the allocation of 20 MHz of the 700 MHz spectrum in 2017 for public safety use. This is the same 20 MHz of spectrum used by the PSBN FirstNet in the U.S., which was established in 2012. (In light of this, FirstNet provided the TNCO with valuable insights into implementing a PSBN, according to the TNCO progress report.)
It is unclear at this point how much longer it will be before a PSBN is implemented here in Canada.
“Moving forward with a PSBN will be complex and will require all levels of government to support its development,” the Public Safety Canada spokesperson wrote.
“Continued collaboration among all levels of governments, industry and end users is essential to develop a network that meets the diverse expectations and interests of stakeholders. Public Safety Canada will continue to work with partners to implement the Federal-Provincial-Territorial Action Plan for emergency management and advance initiatives to enhance Canada’s resilience.”
The TNCO’s report suggests the delay matters. The report, which highlights the value of a PSBN in Canada, also says the TNCO heard concerns from stakeholders about the speed with which the project was progressing.
“Throughout this engagement, there were common issues arising from stakeholders including the timeline for the establishment of a PSBN and the budget cycles at the federal, provincial and municipal levels, especially since the spectrum was allocated by ISED in 2017,” the report reads.
“For some jurisdictions, aging communications infrastructure and the need for additional investment in the very near future are reasons to accelerate the launch of a PSBN.”
