Budget includes new money for networks, satellites

The federal budget, released Tuesday, includes new money for broadband and research networks, satellite communications, securing the government’s own online properties and a dedicated public safety network. The government is promising to spend $1.33 billion over six years through the Canada Foundation for Innovation, beginning in 2017, to support “advanced research infrastructure” at public institutions including hospitals, universities and colleges. The foundation is a non-profit organization that uses funding from the government and other sources to invest in the “facilities and equipment that play a crucial role in attracting and retaining the world’s top minds, training the next generation of researchers and supporting private sector innovation,” according to the budget document. The government also pledged to create “more efficient and effective national digital research infrastructure” by spending $105 million, beginning in 2015, on upgrades to the CANARIE high-speed backbone that connects researchers at universities, government laboratories and private companies across the country. Following last year’s cyber attacks, such as those at the Canada Revenue Agency and the National Research Council, the government is proposing to spend $58 million over the next five years to address “cyber-security” threats and protect its online systems. The government also said it would invest $36.4 million over five years to help the operators of the country’s “vital cyber systems” address security threats. Public safety networks are also getting new funding, with the government proposing $3 million beginning in 2016 to establish a dedicated broadband network for emergency management. In the budget, the government said it will carve out another 10 MHZ of wireless spectrum in the 700 MHz band, on top of the 10 MHz it has already set aside, to run the network. Extra money is also going to satellite communications, where the government said it will spend $30 million beginning in 2016 to “support cutting-edge research” and new technologies. The government is also proposing to expand the scope of the Personal Information Protection and Electronic Documents Act (PIPEDA) to include organizations such as the World Anti-Doping Agency, which is headquartered in Montreal. Currently, the PIPEDA requirements only apply to private-sector organizations involved in commercial activity, and the government wants to expand that definition “through legislative and regulatory amendments,” although the budget document did not spell out what the new definition would be. The government also said it would amend the Copyright Act to extend the term of protection for sound recordings and performances from 50 years to 70 years after release. The extension is necessary to ensure that Canadian performers, writers and record labels that produced music in the mid-1960s are “fairly compensated” for the use of their music for another two decades, the government said in its budget document. — With reporting by Peter Henderson phenderson@thewirereport.ca and editing by Derek Abma dabma@thewirereport.ca

Budget includes new money for networks, satellites

Broadcast | April 21, 2015

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Budget includes new money for networks, satellites

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