COVID-19 exposes need for rural high-speed internet
The COVID-19 pandemic is causing unprecedented changes affecting every aspect of Island and Canadian life and demonstrating the need for quality and affordable high-speed internet service for all Islanders, including rural residents of Prince Edward Island.
Island schools are now attempting to provide online learning, but reception is patchy and often unreliable, placing many students and families at a disadvantage in rural areas.
Home businesses and now many employees attempting to work at home in rural P.E.I. are facing obstacles in internet communication. Health-care services are now being provided online.
Many unemployed workers and families seeking needed support from the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) are having problems making the necessary contacts.
Broadband internet service has many practical uses, not only in education, business and health care, but also in our ability to have instant contact and communication with family who are separated by COVID-19 distancing restrictions.
It is also an important source of entertainment programming needed in times such as we are now experiencing.
The government has promised improved service levels to 30,000 Islanders over the next two to three years with major funding to Bell Aliant and Explornet.
Two to three years is too long to wait.
Local Island internet providers have proven to be more sensitive and agile at serving the internet needs for rural Islanders, and given a fraction of the investment government has lavished on larger corporations with off shore head offices, local companies could have high-speed internet up and running within a matter of weeks, not years as has been laid out by the provincial government.
Given the COVID-12 pandemic health and financial crisis, the need for quality high-speed internet to rural P.E.I. has taken on a much higher level of urgency.
The provincial and federal governments must source more funding for Island companies to expedite high-speed internet service to rural Islanders.
Dr. Herb Dickieson lives in O’Leary.