Let's support competitive fibre broadband

Today, I made a notice of motion - alerting Council that I intend to bring a motion to the next Council meeting, seconded by my colleague Councillor Diane Deans - that would voice the City's support for the CRTC's decision in favour of providing small ISPs access to large ISPs' networks. I'm looking forward to hearing residents' views. You can read the background to this discussion at http://kitchissippiward.ca/content/mayors-views-broadband-competition-counterpoint.

As presented today, the motion would read:

WHEREAS in July 2015 the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) ruled that large cable and telecom providers would have to make their new fiber-optic infrastructure available to smaller competitors;

AND WHEREAS the decision made by the CRTC aims to promote competition and affordable internet for Canadians including those residents living in the city of Ottawa;

AND WHEREAS in the fall of 2015 a request was filed with the Governor-in-Council to review and vary the Commission’s decision;

AND WHEREAS a final decision has not yet been made by the Federal Government with regards to this request to review and vary so the City of Ottawa still has an opportunity to share its position;

AND WHEREAS other major municipalities, such as Calgary, have expressed their support for the CRTC decision and where the City of Toronto recently carried a similar motion requesting council support competitive and affordable internet prices;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED THAT the city of Ottawa support the CRTC’s decision to require the sharing of fiber-optic networks between large and small competitors;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT the outcome of this motion be shared with the Minister of Innovation, Science, and Economic Development, the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, the Minister of Finance, the Minister of Canadian Heritage, and Premier Kathleen Wynne and the Ontario Minister of Economic Development, Employment and Infrastructure to ensure the City’s position is known as recommendations are prepared.