Prince George – Valemount MLA Rosalyn Bird hopes to strike up a working group with the B.C. government to explore what she calls a “superior” solution to the longstanding quagmire of connecting remote communities and households to high-speed internet.
The solution is Starlink satellite dishes, said Bird.
“I think it’s the future. I think it’s something we should be considering; maybe not across all of B.C. but in places that are extremely rugged, particularly hard terrain,” where powerlines may not exist, she said.
Bird noted the recently completed Upper Viewmount Project near Smithers cost $1.08 million to connect 153 households — or approximately $7,058 per household and a monthly cost of $50 to $90.
But Starlink’s upfront cost is presently $499 for hardware and the standard service costs $140/month.
The B.C. government estimates 96.1 per cent of households in B.C. have access to target speeds of 50/10 Mbps. In 2001, the census counted 2.04 million households, meaning about 81,600 homes could be without such services.
Starlink can connect homes within days, without the delays of planning, permitting, and construction, noted Bird.
“It’s time to consider an immediate, cost-effective and scalable solution that delivers impactful results.
“High-speed internet is critical to bridging the gap between urban and rural communities. It enables small businesses to thrive, families to access telehealth services, and students to participate in online learning.”
Bird's proposal comes on the heels of the Ontario government signing a $100-million deal with Elon Musk’s Starlink to deliver high-speed internet to 15,000 remote households.
According to a June 2024 report from the Ministry of Citizens’ Services — which is tasked to expand fiberoptic network — the B.C. government has invested $584 million into expanding high-speed internet and cellular services in the province, since 2017.
Of those funds, $289 million went to 132 “connectivity projects in rural areas to deliver high-speed internet services to underserved communities in B.C.,” noted the report titled, titled the Rural B.C. Connectivity Benefits Study.
Those funds leveraged $808 million from the federal government and private sector sources, bringing the total cost to $1.1 billion.
If all of B.C. gets connected, the B.C. government expects a more than $2-billion boost to GDP.
“For communities currently underserved by traditional infrastructure, the economic cost of inaction is clear: opportunities are missed, businesses remain disconnected, and rural regions fall further behind. It is time to move forward,” said Bird.
National security concerns colour the debate
But could there be perils to relying on a private, foreign company to provide internet service?
University of B.C. associate professor and communication systems researcher David Michelson told Glacier Media that “Starlink is an excellent way of providing optional extra coverage, but core infrastructure should be under control of the Canadian government.”
Michelson said over reliance on a single provider can be "dangerous in the long term" and that "it is to Canada’s advantage to encourage and support Canadian infrastructure to support core needs."
And so, the build-out of wired networks should likely continue to ensure national security, said Michelson, also noting remote highway corridors still need coverage and should thus be included in the federal government's universal broadband service goal. (As of January 2024, 4,800 km (32%) of highways lack advanced cellular service, much of which is without the power needed for cell towers, according to the provincial government.)
Bird said she acknowledges those risks and that is why a working group could work through those issues.
Still, noted Bird, the pace of getting internet to remote communities remains slow and problematic.
“One of the main hurdles in expanding cellular services is the availability of power, as cellular infrastructure requires electricity. Additionally, many remote areas and highways across B.C. lack power, making it difficult for cellular providers to justify the investment,” the newly elected MLA stated.
Bird said she hopes to work positively with Minister George Chow to see where Starlink can work to get internet to people faster.
