ADVOCATE
Cybera frequently advocates for improvements to the quality and availability of digital services in Canada.
There is currently a lack of high-quality, high-speed and affordable digital services across Canada. We are working to change this. Teaming up with government, education, and the private sector, Cybera is creating a community that champions vital networking and computing services and utilities for everyone, everywhere.
Examples of Cybera’s Advocacy Efforts
- Advising the provincial government on its long-term information and communication technology infrastructure plans.
- Participating in federal proceedings on the future of broadband connectivity in Canada.
- Advising communities as they build their broadband policy frameworks.
- Participating in community network pilots.
- Delivering presentations on digital literacy and access.
- Championing shared services, network expansions, IPv6, and internet efficiencies at a local and international level.
- Participating in international coalitions on internet governance.
TELECOMMUNICATIONS LANDSCAPE ASSESSMENTS
Government Review Responses
Advocacy news
Cybera’s response to CRTC investigation on disaggregated wholesale access
On June 11, 2020, the CRTC issued a Call for comments – Appropriate network configuration for disaggregated wholesale high-speed access services. Their goal was to address a number of outstanding issues related to the Commission’s earlier decision (2015-326) to move Canada’s wholesale high speed access regime from a disaggregated to an aggregated model. Under the previous, […]
Canada’s Throne Speech made big internet promises. Now for the delivery.
Last week’s Speech from the Throne included many ambitious promises for supporting Canadians as they transition through COVID-19 and adapt to the needs of a 21st Century digital economy. From Cybera’s perspective, one of the more interesting goals mentioned in the speech related to improving connectivity in the country: “The Government will accelerate the connectivity timelines and […]
How federal decisions on wholesale rates impacts internet prices for all Canadians
On August 15, 2020, the federal government issued a controversial statement regarding an ongoing disagreement between incumbent Internet Service Providers (ISPs) and wholesale internet providers over the wholesale rates set by the CRTC. In its statement, the government seemingly supported an argument advanced by Canada’s big three telecoms providers. They claimed that current regulations requiring […]
Federal Government’s hesitation to support fair wholesale rates could make internet less affordable for Canadians
This past Saturday, August 15, federal minister Navdeep Bains issued a statement expressing concern about the CRTC’s August 2019 decision to cut wholesale internet rates. He stated that “these [reduced] rates may undermine investment in high-quality networks, particularly in rural and remote areas.“ The CRTC is responsible for setting the rates that incumbent network operators […]
The ties that bind Alberta’s tech administrators
Between May 2019 and February 2020, Cybera held a series of half-day round table sessions in Red Deer, Lethbridge, Grande Prairie, Edmonton and Calgary. Our goal was to review the digital resources currently being used by Alberta’s public and education sectors to create efficiencies and improve computational literacy. We also wanted to identify existing gaps. […]
Updating our review of Alberta’s connectivity crisis
In April, Cybera’s policy team created a white paper to highlight and address the internet crisis in Alberta. As COVID-19 continues to impact schools and businesses in the province, this problem of access and connectivity has not gone away. In the original white paper, we provided suggestions for how the provincial government and large ISPs can work […]