Strategic Approach

Right now, 93 per cent of British Columbians have access to high-speed Internet services.  Many of these citizens reside in highly populated areas. Increasing connectivity in rural and remote areas is essential to helping citizens and businesses respond to economic changes, improve health care and education, and access government services, information and data.

Geography, infrastructure, and demographics determine who accesses the Internet and who does not.   Addressing the digital divide means increasing the number of citizens who have the opportunity, ability and desire to access the Internet. Encouraging and sustaining connectivity in rural and remote areas, where there is little business case for the private sector to provider services, remains a challenge.

Telecommunications infrastructure in B.C. is largely owned and operated by the private sector. Due to B.C.’s challenging terrain and low population density, the cost of providing services in rural and remote areas can be extremely high. In many cases the cost of acquiring anything but basic telephone service is prohibitively expensive for citizens and businesses.