Complaining about internet speeds has become so common among Flin Flon area residents that it may outrank curling and Bomber games as a favourite pastime.
From April 11 to 29, residents will have a chance to make their concerns heard nationwide, and learn more about internet access and broadband speeds in Canada.
During that period, the Canadian Radio and Television Commission (CRTC) will host a public hearing and discussion forum on the issue of broadband internet.
Dianne Russell, president of the Flin Flon and District Chamber of Commerce, is urging local residents to engage with the CRTC, during the hearing and in the future, about the importance of high-speed internet in the area.
Russell has been looking into the issue of internet speeds for about 18 months, in response to concerns from chamber members about their ability to work, and grow their businesses, with unreliable internet.
She hopes that local people will engage in the hearing process to emphasize the importance of implementing high-speed internet in the area, and to “put weight to the argument that it is non-negotiable – it’s a need, not a want.”
The CRTC hearing is part of an ongoing information-gathering process called Let’s Talk Broadband, which began last April. The process included a survey with a sample of the Canadian population, and a public questionnaire on basic telecommunication services.
In all, 30,000 Canadians responded to the questionnaire, either through the survey process or through the open forum.
In March of this year, the CRTC published a report analyzing the findings from the questionnaire.
Unsurprisingly, the report demonstrates inequalities in terms of internet speed and capacity between rural and urban areas: Canadians in rural areas were more likely to report that they had limited their internet use.
“Discussion participants from rural and underserved areas spoke at length about needing to limit their Internet use as a result of speed, capacity, or both,” reads the report. “Many described difficulties using websites with pictures or using flash, streaming video, uploading and downloading documents, playing games online and making online video calls.”
Russell said the Flin Flon area has been flagged by the CRTC as an underserved area in regards to broadband service, which she sees as a promising development.
“What the CRTC really strongly expressed is that in parts of the world, the information highway is now considered a basic human right. Not in Canada, but it is considered a major priority. And therefore [the fact that] we live rurally in a smaller populated area should not disqualify us, but they need our voices heard.”
To participate in the public hearing and discussion forum beginning April 11, click on the “Participate” link on the bottom left of the CRTC website at www.crtc.gc.ca/eng
