Local providers key to broadband rollout, CanWISP told
Telecom | 03/11/2025 2:55 pm EDT
GATINEAU, Que.—When rolling out internet connectivity to rural and remote areas, it is an advantage to be a local player, says Susan Church.
Church is the executive director of the Blue Sky Economic Growth Corp., based in North Bay, Ont. She delivered a presentation entitled Expanding Rural Broadband: a collaborative approach to digital equity to the CanWISP conference last week.
Church urged her audience, mostly small internet service providers operating throughout Canada, to be creative in their approach. Their presence in their communities is a strong asset, especially when it comes to the geographic problems that broadband deployment may encounter.
“As a small internet service provider you know that it’s key to know where water towers are, where buildings are,” she told the crowd.
Church suggested a four-step approach to getting ready for the rollout of internet infrastructure. First, the ISPs should create a broadband committee with local politicians and other interested stakeholders such as business leaders and health care representatives in order to prepare a united strategy.
Next, the region should become a broadband-ready community. Local governments must comply with mandates set out in relevant provincial legislation, such as Ontario’s Building Broadband Faster Act of 2021 and 2022’s Getting Ontario Connected Act.
Looking at public resources and assets is also a good idea, Church stated. That does not guarantee acceptance of broadband projects by federal and provincial authorities, but could clear away barriers that could arise.
Thirdly, ISPs must do a gap analysis—look at where broadband is available, what speeds are offered, and the estimated costs.
“This will help clarify the vision and next steps,” Blue Sky said in its presentation.
Lastly, communities should engage with ISPs to encourage investment. Local officials should be aware what funds are available from the federal and provincial governments for deployment. Local officials should ask what they can do to help the providers. The executive director had advice for local politicians.
“You want to be popular? Bring broadband to a community,” she exclaimed. “Folks will love you.”
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Church quoted information from the Canadian Real Estate Association which she said found that prospective homebuyers are more interested in broadband availability than clean water. Homeowners can dig a deeper well to get clean water, she noted, but internet service is dependent on the ISPs.
Drawing on data from Blue Sky’s most recent study of the digital divide in northern Ontario, Church said merely getting funding does not guarantee projects will be developed on time. She pointed to a more than $70-million broadband plan for Manitoulin Island that was first announced in July 2021. It has been reintroduced four more times, most recently by Rock Networks last summer. The original finish date was set for December of this year.
“There’s not a snowball’s chance in hell that it’s going to be done by December 2025,” she proclaimed. The Wire Report has reached out to Rock Networks to request an update on the project timeline. Last year, the company’s president acknowledged the process takes time but said it is necessary.
Church left her audience with a litany of actions they should take to be successful in the world of broadband rollout.
“Do what you say, say what you do, and don’t ever overcommit.” she said.