(Photo courtesy Canada Beef Inc.)

CRTC makes broadband a basic service

Gatineau | Reuters — Broadband internet access will be considered a basic service in Canada, the country’s telecom regulator said Wednesday, setting a higher target for download speeds and creating a fund that could see providers paying more to help meet those goals. The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) said it was establishing a

(John Deere photo)

Precision ag tech’s link to broadband under study

Crop growers in southwestern Ontario are being asked how their access to high-speed internet, or lack thereof, has helped or hindered their adoption of precision ag tools. Researchers at the University of Guelph’s Ontario Agricultural College (OAC), as part of the Regional and Rural Broadband (R2B2) project, are studying how “current and future connectivity” influences


The ‘broadband gap’ still divides Canada despite investment, rural leaders say

Municipal leaders gathered in Winnipeg for the national Federation of Canadian Municipalities held a 
Rural Forum special assembly June 4 to draw attention to needs and policy issues for rural areas

Municipal leaders hope a $500-million commitment in this spring’s federal budget for expanding broadband Internet services to underserviced areas of rural and remote Canada achieves its goal this time. The “broadband gap” still divides rural and urban Canada despite significant investments already made trying to close it, said councillors and mayors attending the Federation of

Wildfires in the RMs of Piney and Stuartburn in the spring of 2012 starkly illustrated the need for better rural telecommunications.

CRTC chief deems Internet a necessity

Modern telecommunications are still rare as hen’s teeth in rural areas, but hope is on the horizon

A mid-hearing speech, made by the chairman of the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission, is welcome news to rural advocates of digital equality. In recent televised remarks, Jean-Pierre Blais said the necessity of broadband Internet access was a “self-evident truth,” shifting the focus of the current review of basic telecommunications services from proving the need



“The bigger question is, who is going to own our land at the end of the day? Who is going to own agriculture at the end of the day? Is society comfortable having someone else own our land? Someone has to buy it and own it and operate it.” – Dan Mazier

KAP election priorities released

Money for agricultural research and innovation has dwindled in recent years, something that KAP hopes those vying for Manitoba’s top job will pledge to change

The Keystone Agricultural Producers is hoping to make the future of farming a higher priority in the run-up to the provincial election. KAP released its pre-election priorities document last week and it was full of items that emphasized the need to support and encourage young producers and new entrants to agriculture. “We talk lots about

(Producer.com/WhyAgMatters)

Debate: Sask. farmers aim to bridge digital gap

Infrastructure has always been top of mind for many rural Saskatchewan residents — but rural infrastructure needs in 2016 can’t all be met with gravel, graders and culverts. With a provincial election around the corner, improving digital and cellular service was a focal point in an ag leaders’ debate held in Saskatoon Tuesday. The Why



Federation of Canadian Municipalities ‘road map’ identifies needs

Federation of Canadian Municipalities ‘road map’ identifies needs

Infrastructure, housing, safety, and environment highlighted

Canadian municipal leaders want the next federal government to commit resources that directly benefit communities, and are tracking the commitments party candidates make on that front. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM) rolled out its wish list last spring, titled A Roadmap for Strong Cities and Communities, which identified the key needs and issues facing

New Technology Threatens GPS In U.S.

Virtually unheard of just a decade ago, GPS (global positioning system) has become indispensable in agriculture. Now the service may be threatened by an emerging technology in the United States. LightSquared, a U.S. broadband company, plans to introduce a new network into the American marketplace later this year, but is currently battling opponents who are