WHEREAS many small rural communities and major transportation corridors are unable to access cellular service; AND WHEREAS major cellular providers hold the territorial rights to remote areas but seem to be unwilling to invest in providing cellular service to those remote communities and major transportation corridors: THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that UBCM request that the Province broaden the provincial mandate on communications and connectivity to include mobile services in order to ensure that much-needed cellular and other communications infrastructure is accessible by small and remote communities and their transportation corridors.
MINISTRY OF LABOUR AND CITIZENS SERVICES Substantial progress continues to be made to bridge the digital divide in British Columbia. Through the Network BC project to bridge the digital divide, broadband points of access have been made available in 366 communities across the province, making B.C. one of the most connected jurisdictions in Canada. The telecommunications industry is regulated under federal legislation by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission and Industry Canada. The industry is largely market-driven with the result that there may be little business case to provide mobile telecommunications services to areas with small or widely dispersed populations. The Province of British Columbia Province supports the federal Telecommunications Policy Review Panels recommendation that the federal government issue a policy statement detailing the steps it intends to take as it proceeds with the reform of the Canadian telecommunications industry. When this policy statement is announced, it is the Provinces intention to highlight to the federal government the increasing demand for mobile telecommunications services in rural and remote areas of the Province. The Province has already requested that, before it initiates any reforms, the federal government consults with the provinces and municipalities to ensure their concerns are addressed. In addition, Industry Canada has initiated a process whereby the federal government is considering auctioning the right to broadcast over radio wavelengths used for mobile telecommunications. In its submission, the Province advocated principles that would enable new service providers to enter the wireless marketplace, particularly in smaller markets. Industry Canada is still considering submissions at this time.