NDP plan would connect all Canadians at affordable prices at no cost to taxpayers

(OTTAWA)- Today, Brian Masse M.P. (Windsor West), NDP Innovation, Science, Economic Development Critic in the House of Commons questioned the government on implementing an affordable high-speed broadband plan to connect all Canadians within the next four years.

“Mr. Speaker,
This pandemic showed us that high speed broad band is an essential service for work and school. 63% of rural households don’t have access to high speed broad band. Some have no service at all. Those that do are seeing rising rates. The liberals admitted their plan to connect Canada in the year 2030 is a failure for business, failure for education, fails research and ultimately fails consumers with obscene pricing. The NDP broad band panel get access within four years with affordable prices without causing the government anything and supported by industry. Will the liberals just adopt the NDP plan and get on with the job,” Masse stated.

In Canada, 63 percent of rural households do not have access to high speed broadband. During this public health emergency, the situation has gotten worse for Canadians in rural and remote areas according to the Canadian Internet Registration Authority’s study.

The NDP plan, which was released in May of this year and has industry and consumer support, would do the following:

• Declare high speed broadband internet an essential service with the requisite consumer price protections for universal affordable access.
• Establish a comprehensive broadband build out plan to be started in the next 12 months with 95 percent to be completed in 36 months and with the remaining geographic challenges being addressed to reach 100 percent within 48 months.
• The federal government fund the entire $ 6 billion buildout with the revenues from the spectrum auctions, which took in $3.45 billion in 2019 alone and more auctions are scheduled for next year.

“This public health crisis has exposed how dire the situation is. The government needs to act on this plan to ensure all Canadians are treated equally. The funds are available to do this now,” Masse stated.

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