Internet for All: We are getting closer!

Since the launch of our Internet for All campaign at our 2013 National Convention, we have been continually working hard to get affordable internet rates for low-income Canadians. We’ve had some success – Rogers has started providing $10 a month internet for residents in Toronto Community Housing, and federal regulators are now in the process of conducting a review looking at high-speed internet, affordability and access. And we need to keep the pressure on! 

 

Our tireless efforts to make Internet for All Canadians a reality have ensured that 10 of our members will be presenting at CRTC’s public hearing on April 14 to explain why broadband internet should be affordable for Canadians. Their testimony will draw from personal experiences, letting these decision makers know how vital yet unaffordable home internet is. 

 

Low-income Canadians need the internet to get ahead and get out of the cycle of poverty. How can we get out of poverty if we can’t apply for jobs, or access the government or medical services we need to improve our quality of life? How can our kids succeed in school if they don’t have a way to complete their homework? 

 

At this year’s leadership school we learned about how we, as a group of organized individuals working together, can achieve important victories for low- and moderate-income families. We have the power to make real changes. Our work in doing outreach and holding dozens of events across the country, from actions and press conferences to forums and lobby visits to politicians, has built public awareness and generated a national discussion about why internet is a right.

 

And we are getting closer. The CRTC has the power to decide whether the internet should be affordable and accessible for low-income Canadians – and this review process is essential in this decision. So we must keep the pressure on in this critical phase of the review! So talk to your friends, families, and neighbours. Sign and share our petition on Facebook and Twitter. Get the word out that the Internet is for All!