Joanne Levy to the Canada’s Rural and Remote Broadband Community conference

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
November 3, 2026

Joanne Levy, Commissioner for Manitoba and Saskatchewan
Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)

Check against delivery

Introduction

Good morning and thank you for inviting me to speak today.

Before we begin, I would like to acknowledge that we are gathered today on Treaty 6 Territory and the Homeland of the Métis.

I also want to note that I am joined here today with one of my CRTC colleagues, Alexis Kampman and Phil Sparvier. We will be here all day, and if you would like to meet, please reach out to us through the Whova app.

It is wonderful to be back with you once again – this year a little closer to my own home

here on the prairies. I was born and raised on a farm 50 miles up the road from here, and I attended the University of Saskatchewan. I am so proud that Saskatoon is hosting a conference as forward-looking and tech savvy as this one. Many across the country might think of Saskatchewan and only big skies and fields of waving wheat come to mind – but those of us who live here know better.

We boast, for instance, Canada’s second-largest research council, where key advances are made every day in fields like energy production, climate change, and more. The Saskatchewan Research Council is also leading the way in developing new methods and facilities to process rare earths and critical minerals – an essential ingredient to our modern telecommunications infrastructure and devices.

It’s just one example as to why Saskatoon is such a fitting spot for us to be discussing the future of telecommunications in Canada – the period of ‘Infinite Build.’

In addition to being a proud Saskatchewanian, I am here today to represent the CRTC.

We are an independent, quasi-judicial tribunal that regulates the Canadian communications sector in the public interest. We hold public consultations on telecommunications and broadcasting matters and make decisions based on the public record.

That first part, telecommunications, is what we are all here this week to discuss. And in particular, telecommunications in our rural, remote and Indigenous communities.

Traditionally, this has always been the most difficult segment of our country to connect. The very same mountains, rivers, lakes and prairies that make our country so beautiful also create plenty of headaches for those trying to lay fibre-optic cable to our hardest-to-reach communities.

The good news is, as this week’s theme suggests, a lot of that hard work has been done. While there is still more to do, our current data shows that more than 96% of Canadians currently have reliable access to high-speed Internet and mobile phone services.

We know that gaps remain. For example, even where the data says Canadians should be getting a cellphone signal, dropped calls and dead zones are a persistent issue, and one we are working with industry partners to address.

But the question that this conference is asking is bigger, and it is one that we are always thinking about at the CRTC: what next? Once we connect those hard-to-reach areas to high-quality networks, how do we keep that momentum going?

Fibre is crucial to the Canadian economy

Because high-speed Internet access, and the fibre-optic cable that brings it to many communities, is quickly becoming the backbone of the Canadian economy. Our workers use it to access online education and job training. Our businesses have digital storefronts so they can sell their products. And it grows economic opportunity more generally, creating new connections, opening new markets for Canadian goods, and making remote work possible.

With this in mind, I would like to take a few minutes to explain some of the work we have done to help ensure that reality of full, high-speed and reliable connectivity is realized – and maintained – from coast to coast to coast.

Bringing broadband and competition to all Canadians

When we are looking at our telecommunications networks in Canada, every area of the country falls into one of two camps: places where a business case exists to build and maintain a network, and places where one does not.

I am going to talk about both and how the CRTC is handling each, but I will start with where business cases exist. In these regions, we want Canadians to not only have connectivity, but have affordable choices when choosing a service plan.

So we have made a series of decisions to balance competition with the need for investment in networks. Critically, we required large telephone companies to provide competitors with a workable way to sell Internet services using their fibre-to-the-home networks nationwide.

This access has been encouraging Internet competition and empowering consumers across Canada, who now have more options when choosing a high-speed Internet service provider. Regional providers have expanded Internet services into nearly 100 new communities across seven provinces. Prices have fallen, and we expect this trend to continue.

Now I would like to discuss that second area, where a business case may not exist. The CRTC is part of a broader Government of Canada effort to bring Internet connectivity to these hard-to-reach regions.

And since 2019, the CRTC has played an active role through our Broadband Fund. The CRTC has delivered funding to help improve Internet and cellphone services in 318 communities, including 131 Indigenous communities. These investments connect essential institutions like schools, health care facilities, and community centres to the high-speed networks they need. This also includes improving mobile connectivity along more than 650 kilometres of major roads, further reducing the rural connectivity gap.

And I am proud to say the Broadband Fund is still going strong – our fourth call for proposals ended just last month. This call was focused on projects that will bring broadband access to our hardest-to-reach communities, and build fibre where it hasn’t been built before. We are currently examining the project submissions we received, and intend to make funding decisions in the coming months. These decisions will help connect even more communities to high-speed Internet services, so they can fully participate in today’s economy and tomorrow’s.

Improving the Broadband Fund for Indigenous communities

While we are proud of the work the Broadband Fund has done so far, we know we can do more. That’s why we launched a comprehensive review of the Fund in 2023. In the first phase of that review, we improved the speed and efficiency of the application process, simplified reporting, and reduced barriers for Indigenous applicants.

We concluded the second phase of that review process this fall, and made further important changes.

First, we reinforced our focus on Indigenous communities through developing a dedicated stream of funding for these communities within the Broadband Fund. We have an open consultation on this, and we are still accepting comments until December 1.

If you have not done so yet, please get involved with this proceeding, and any other CRTC proceedings that affect you, your business, or your community. As I mentioned earlier, the CRTC makes all of its decisions based on the public record. You have the opportunity to directly impact our decisions – and, in this case, the new Indigenous Stream of the Broadband Fund.

There are many ways to get involved. We have an online form that can be found on our website. You can mail your submission to us directly to our head office in Gatineau, Quebec. And if you need help with this process or have any questions for us, I encourage you to give us a call at 1-877-249-2782. We are always happy to hear from you.

Additionally, we have heard in the past about barriers to Indigenous participation in our processes. We listened, and that’s why we are exploring new ways to gather Indigenous views, specifically on the development of the Indigenous Stream of the Broadband Fund.

If you have any questions about these, the Broadband Fund more generally, or any CRTC work, please let us know.

Resilient networks for the future of Canadian telecommunications

Now I would like to move to the second part of the Fund’s new policy, as it speaks directly to this week’s spirit of ‘The Infinite Build.’ Specifically, we made projects focused on network resiliency eligible for funding.

Because, as we connect those hardest-to-reach communities to last-mile fibre, we want to make sure that those connections are reliable and resilient. The next frontier in connectivity will not be connecting new homes and businesses, but in making sure all homes and businesses enjoy the same high-speed connections and predictable service, whether they are in Montreal, Saskatoon, or Fond-du-Lac.

This is doubly important as our world gets increasingly unpredictable. Outages caused by extreme weather, network damage, or other events are more prevalent than ever before. And we are hopeful that, through this expansion of Broadband Fund-eligible projects, we can help to minimize their impact as much as possible.

In the same vein, we are also working to improve the data we collect on cellphone coverage and network strength. Just last month, we issued a decision which will standardize the information service providers report on their networks and require more detailed information. Canadians will be able to report locations where coverage maps, like the National Broadband Map, do not reflect their experience. Additionally, this data will help service providers and governments better identify where there are gaps, supporting planning and investments that improve connectivity.

A consumer-focused future in telecommunications

I would be remiss if I did not take a couple minutes today to also mention our consumer-focused work at the CRTC, as it goes hand-in-hand with our work on connectivity. Because not only do we want all Canadians to have high-speed Internet access, but we want them to have affordable options, and for their bills to be as predictable as the services they use.

This past year has been a busy one for us here. We have made decisions to eliminate extra fees on Internet and cellphone plans, improve notifications about expiring contracts, and given Canadians more flexibility to change or cancel their plans.

And most recently, in September, we put in place rules to ensure that Canadians have clear and consistent information when shopping for Internet plans. They will be able to see the actual Internet speeds they can expect during the busiest times of day, making it easier to compare plans and choose the one that best meets their needs.

Because in the future we envision for Canadian telecommunications, not only do all Canadians have reliable high-speed access, but they also have a variety of affordable choices in the marketplace, no matter where they live.

Conclusion

And that is a good place for me to wrap up today. At the CRTC, we are excited about the future of Canadian telecommunications.

As we enter the period of ‘Infinite Build,’ you can rest assured that the CRTC is helping to ensure that broadband connectivity across the country is ubiquitous, reliable, and affordable.

Those are goals I think we all share.

Thank you.