Internet as a basic service for all Canadians?

We're less than 48 hours away from a critical CRTC hearing that will shape the future of the Internet in Canada and we need everyone on board to ensure we all get access to the affordable, world-class broadband we deserve. Here's what you can do.

In 48 hours, I am going to present to key decision-makers at the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) and demand that 100% of Canadians have access to affordable, world-class broadband Internet.

What does this mean for you? We’re fighting for rules that ensure you get faster, cheaper Internet ASAP.But we need your help.

The CRTC will only give us what we want if we speak out together, and in huge numbers. That’s why we need you to sign our UnblockCanada.ca petition, demanding action to stop Big Telecom from keeping us locked into some of the most expensive, yet under-performing, Internet services in the world.

Can we count on you, to stand with us?

As the CRTC Chairman said just over a week ago, this hearing “may very well be the last best chance to get it right.” And this time, we agree with him.

If we don’t show our strength on Thursday, here’s what we’ll be stuck with:

• Some of the slowest broadband speeds among developed nations

• Oppressive data caps

• The most expensive packages in the industrialized world

• A huge digital divide (1 in 5 households have no Internet connection)

• A market in which over 90% is controlled by a handful of telecom giants

Is this the Internet you want for Canada?

When it comes to Internet quality, we shouldn’t just be a contender. We should be the fastest team on the ice.

This is why we need you to join us. If you don’t, millions of Canadians are going to be left behind, and that’s something we can’t afford.

Since our founding in 2008 we’ve worked with hundreds of thousands of people just like you to crowdsource citizen-driven priorities for a more equitable digital future. Right now, nearly 35,000 members of our community have endorsed an open letter saying that Canadians deserve faster, cheaper Internet services from a wide range of providers. And thousands more submitted unique comments onto the record of the proceeding, to tell the CRTC about their experience in their own words. Here’s just one example:

Do we want Canada to keep making the headlines about how we're one of the industrialized countries that pays the most for the worst Internet? Or do we want to be number one? It's all a matter of vision, in the end.

-Hugo Vaillancourt, North West River, Newfoundland (June 2015)

After reviewing all of this, we consulted telecom experts from across the country to ensure a thorough, achievable policy strategy consistent with the grassroots priorities identified by the you, our community. In fact, you can find our full 30-page submission here.

But we need to get our numbers higher.

This is the most important work I’ve done in my career at OpenMedia. And I need to know you’re on our team. Please, join us before the final deadline on Thursday, April 28, when we present to the CRTC.