Photo by Whitehorse Star
Yukon MP Larry Bagnell
High-speed internet funding made available
Yukon governments and organizations can now apply for high-speed internet funding from a Canada-wide pot of $1.75 billion.
Yukon governments and organizations can now apply for high-speed internet funding from a Canada-wide pot of $1.75 billion.
“It’ll help connect a lot of people who are falling through the cracks,” Larry Bagnell, the Yukon’s MP, told the Star Monday.
The federal fund for internet projects was boosted to $1.75 billion that day in response to the increased importance of internet accessibility during pandemic lockdown. The increase was announced by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau.
Bagnell said the federal government acknowledges the importance of internet access in rural Canada.
“It’s so instrumental in today’s world, even more because of COVID … it’s education links, health care links, remote access to various government programs, applying for a job, it’s part of today’s life,” Bagnell said.
The MP is reaching out to First Nations chiefs and municipalities to inform them of the funding opportunity.
Applicants are required to reach a potential agreement with an internet service provider as part of the application process.
Federal money will be allocated according to need and application strength, Bagnell explained.
There are still a number of Yukoners who aren’t able to access the internet, he pointed out.
“There’s a lot of people who live near a community, but not close enough to get access to the internet – for instance, on the Carcross Road … and some outside Lake Tagish,” Bagnell said.
The federal government has a goal of connecting 98 per cent of Canadians to the internet by 2026. That goal was first expressed in the mid-1990s.
Funding announced Monday includes rapid response stream, so ready-to-go projects can receive funding and begin work imminently.
Some of the funding will be allocated toward mobile connectivity for highways entering and exiting Indigenous communities.
Bagnell noted that the “Highway of Tears” – a 725-kilometre corridor in northern B.C. infamous for the murders and disappearances of Indigenous women – is one section that needs mobile connectivity for safety reasons.
There has also been $600 million committed to securing a low-earth orbit satellite through Telesat. (Some of the Yukon is currently connected to the internet by one of Telesat’s high-Earth satellites, which is scheduled for discontinuation.)
The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has also recently licensed Elon Musk’s SpaceX low-Earth satellites.
The CRTC has also contributed $38.6 million toward Northwestel Inc.’s Yukon fibre line project. This is expected to improve internet access in 19 Yukon communities.
The CRTC also granted $2.86 million toward improvements to access in Old Crow.
Bagnell said the federal and CRTC funds present multiple avenues toward rural internet accessibility in the Yukon.
“If someone still falls between the cracks, this new funding or the CRTC funding that is going to the communities in the North … that could cover broadband infrastructure, so there’s different ways,” Bagnell said.
Add your comments or reply via Twitter @whitehorsestar
In order to encourage thoughtful and responsible discussion, website comments will not be visible until a moderator approves them. Please add comments judiciously and refrain from maligning any individual or institution. Read about our user comment and privacy policies.
Your name and email address are required before your comment is posted. Otherwise, your comment will not be posted.
Comments (15)
Up 6 Down 1
Groucho d'North on Nov 18, 2020 at 10:56 am
@ Rolf
Blistering fast 5G is coming, you have no choice in the matter. I suspect our Prime Misery has decided this to appeal to young voters as he did with the legalization of pot. Well you can only legalize it once so he needed something else to capture their votes. Subscriber costs for the new systems have not yet been announced and I will bet some will have sticker-shock when they learn of the tariffed prices NWTel will be charging, but then Starlink will be here as competition so finally, Yukoners will have a choice in service providers based on system features and costs. It is long overdue. I'm pretty sure Elon Musk will not be giving away his service either.
Up 6 Down 7
Rolf on Nov 17, 2020 at 6:18 am
Classic whining coming from the we free people just outside the city limits. If your happy with Xnet then thrive don't increase my infra-structure costs with never a hope of ROI.
Many should be so lucky as to connect with anything at all considering what they pay but completely ignore that and whine to the max anyhow.
Go be happy with the fly-by-nights, they're great.
Up 10 Down 3
Been There on Nov 16, 2020 at 12:09 pm
I too have asked NWTel about fibre line takeoff to my property....just a sad discussion with someone who actually forgot they were speaking to a paying customer...insulting, mocking....I went to Xplornet...they rock and the bill never changes. Really nice customer service too.
Up 7 Down 2
YukonMax on Nov 16, 2020 at 6:30 am
“It’ll help connect a lot of people who are falling through the cracks,”Ha! Ha! Ha!
Quite a joker...In the communities, the old lines can't even carry the signal steadily
today. But hey! If we can re-install 6 new generators on 40 year old pads in Faro, then we can all go back to dial up. No consultation needed.
Up 3 Down 3
Sheepchaser on Nov 15, 2020 at 6:59 pm
iBrian,
Because the future of work is remote human supervision of semi-autonomous machines. No more climbing into operator cabins of heavy machinery, no more repeat stress injuries, no more workers on the fire line, no more humans at risk in helicopters... they will be at home or a command centre in front of screens. Safe.
Most traditional labour will no longer exist a generation from now. We’re going to work smarter, not harder. Once the machines no longer need to protect or sustain human life in their operations they can be completely redesigned. Designed by kids who now have their heads in video games and programming, but have the minds of imagineers. Who have access to high bandwidth connections to learn and share how to do that stuff inside virtual and augmented reality environments. Design, code, communicate and understand.
That requires open-minded elders who are capable of embracing the future despite its overwhelming complexity. Yukon kids won’t get to be an exception to this shift. Are they going to be the people running the show or changing the oil and filling the gas on the robots? How can you make that choice for them so casually? Do you understand the choice?
The future may seem like a small step away, but if you think of the contemporary Internet as pixelated photos and an email account, it has passed you by a giant leap. The quality of a child’s internet connection is now directly associated with their future socioeconomic outcome.
Up 10 Down 2
Sheepchaser on Nov 15, 2020 at 4:48 pm
Okay Larry, please call Northwestel and try this: ‘Hi, I’m starting a business in the Yukon that’s going to need fibre connection to be viable. Luckily, your fibre line runs along my property boundary. Is there any amount of money my business can pay to get access?’
Please, try that. I have three times. Told to go away. If that’s what you call a return on taxpayer investment, then that explains a lot about why we don’t get value for on our collective dollar.
Up 10 Down 2
Groucho d'North on Nov 15, 2020 at 12:23 pm
@Hur
As you asked so nicely, I'll share my misgivings about this funding announcement. It helps if you know the history of NWTel and their challenges in providing telecommunications technology equal to the rest of the nation. NWTel's long-term reason for playing catch-up with southern service providers is their vast operating area in wilderness conditions.
I will not dispute they have a difficult area to serve especially with a small subscriber population as well- but they are compensated for that, in fact the CRTC has provided them with a variety of funding mechanisms over the years (into the multi-millions) to help them invest in keeping their network modern and capable to serve their subscribers. Stentor was one such program that provided funding to upgrade the technology, but as noted in a previous CRTC decision NWtel decided to reward their shareholders rather than invest in the network like they were supposed to. As there is no competition here, they can do pretty much as they please...and do.
Now Mr. Musk is introducing global Internet service where NWTel will be faced to deal with competition unlike they needed to in the past and they are reacting by trying to provide equivalent services under a very tight time frame. The CRTC has already approved Starlink to operate in Canada.
Check out the Yuwin site and you'll see NWTel in in a hiring frenzy as they have much to do to be ready to compete with Starlink. This money from the feds is not intended to be provided to subscriber level consumers despite the spin in the funding announcement and Larry's comments, rather it is another financial gift to Canada's telcos so they can make the required investments if they are having trouble raising the required funds to do so. Most are loath to dig into their own pockets to invest in their networks.
The thing is, very few have any idea if NWTel is in a good or bad financial position because they have not made public an Annual Report in over a decade. How much profits are they declaring each year? Since the last Annual Report NWTels cell phone and internet customers have been paying a premium price for so-so service, so what does their balance sheet really look like?
Up 21 Down 4
Anie on Nov 13, 2020 at 3:25 pm
Brian you asked why we want high speed internet. You asked why it isn't enough to read emails and the news. I'm happy to help you understand. Many students are, through no choice of their own, required to do their courses online. Those of us who are decades our of school do not want to be left behind, so we study online as well. Many (too many) of us are isolated because of the virus. We want to visit with our family online. We want to consult with medical professionals, both here and outside, online. Ok, those are just a few examples. Hope this helps you.
Up 13 Down 27
iBrian on Nov 13, 2020 at 8:11 am
Not sure why we need high speed internet. As long as you can send emails and read the news. That’s good enough.
This announcement grossed me out. All I picture is more youth video gaming and not living healthy lives.
I use about 4 gig a month. Know people in the 500 gig plus. Their overweight, unhealthy, and don’t actually go outside.
I understand business, but seriously, do you really need to video chat that much?
What is it that every household needs this high speed for? Are there that many single people streaming porn and the video freezes and they freak out? Go old school with a magazine. Works without power, lol. Still don’t know why we need this high speed stuff.
Up 10 Down 14
Hur dur on Nov 13, 2020 at 7:41 am
Sure, but what do the same 3 old guys who complain about everything think?
Access to internet can always be improved. The government making your access to it better and providing funding for business in a pandemic (which you were for) is now a bad thing? Because the government is being run by a liberal minority? The sky isn't falling. You are getting better, faster internet (because the funding is tied to infrastructure spending not CEO bonus) and you still complain about that?
Up 10 Down 14
Matthew on Nov 13, 2020 at 5:46 am
With all this money floating around I want a serious study done in 5G. I want the effects of Thermal and non thermal radiation published. You'd be so shocked to see the invisible, scentless radiation given off by cellphones, WiFi routers, smart TVS and computers.
Up 18 Down 7
JC on Nov 12, 2020 at 7:25 pm
Well, another 1.75 billion dollars added to Canada's debt and deficit. I hope Bagnell explains to his children that they will have to pay off this massive debt that he helped create. While he is enjoying his over inflated MP pension.
Up 25 Down 12
Wilf Carter on Nov 12, 2020 at 3:15 pm
I find this very interesting because I was told 97% of Yukoners were connected to internet. So how are they going to connect to 3% at what cost? Second what part of this money is going to roll out Federal G5 network? Is this a cover for the 5G network. Other countries are not using Chinese 5G network which is not secure.
Our internet service in Yukon is very poor. Money should be invested in making internet work in Yukon. It is slow, goes out a lot, doesn't run video very well, etc. Or is this just a political ply to get our votes? Larry you have not kept a lot of your funding programs. There is 361 public housing needed now to house people. 40% of seniors who can't afford the over taxation have to leave their homes. Then you have 1800 private sector homes needed now. Show us how our money will solve this problem?
Up 35 Down 9
Groucho d'North on Nov 12, 2020 at 3:07 pm
Another ill-concieved Liberal plan. Perhaps some reporter could sit Larry down and get him to explain how somebody at Lake Leberge can use this program today to get high-speed internet. Forget the money part, that's all for show anyway, how does a fibre line get connected to a computer there?
Up 45 Down 6
TMYK on Nov 12, 2020 at 1:10 pm
The Feds continue to prop up the big three so they can keep gouging Canadians.