Cariboo Regional District broadband strategy now available online
A recent report on broadband connectivity in the Cariboo region, commissioned by the CRD, is now available online. The report, completed in the spring of 2021, offers a comprehensive look at the current state of connectivity in the region, identifies key areas for improvement, and offers some insights into prospective approaches for bringing modern levels of broadband service to the Cariboo.
“The report quantifies what we have been hearing from Cariboo businesses, residents, and visitors,” notes Broadband Committee Chair and Area F Director Maureen Lebourdais. “Broadband in the region needs big improvements.”
The report measured Cariboo connectivity against speed standards chosen for the federal government’s Universal Broadband Fund. This connectivity goal, known as the ‘USO’ (Universal Service Objective) is called ‘50/10’ for its 50 Megabit per second download and 10 Megabit per second upload speed targets. The Universal Broadband Fund is intended to fund broadband infrastructure projects and improve high-speed Internet for rural and remote communities.
The report found that 30% of households and businesses in rural areas of the CRD are considered served at the USO level. But over 50% of the 23,000 homes and businesses in the CRD have connectivity that would be considered poor, making access to essential services online difficult. As part of the project, 68 project areas were identified, representing over 16,000 homes and businesses in the region.
“The need to respond to the pandemic with expanded remote work and telecommuting options; along with the floods, slides, and wildfires our region has endured this year, has taught us much,” notes CRD Chair Margo Wagner. “One clear finding is that high-speed Internet is no longer a ‘nice-to-have’ in rural and remote communities. Whether it’s doing business or working from home, accessing government programs and forms, staying up-to-date on regional evacuation alerts and orders, or perhaps most importantly, using broadband for distance education, the Cariboo and many other rural communities in Canada need better Internet service as soon as possible.”
The complete report can be accessed via the Cariboo Regional District website at: cariboord.ca/broadband.