Tag: government of canada

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Canada, Newfoundland governments invest millions to connect Labrador households

Canada, Newfoundland and Labrador, Newfundland, St. Anthony. Local flags.

The governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador are investing $22 million to bring high-speed internet to rural communities in Labrador.

Project funding is allocated to the Nunatsiavut Government to benefit 1,000 households in the communities of Rigolet, Postville, Makkovik, Nain, Hopedale and Natuashish. Bell is building the network.

“Secure internet connection has been a barrier in many aspects of life for those living in the five Inuit communities of Nunatsiavut,” Anthony Andersen, Minister of Finance, Human Resources and Information Technology for the Nunatsiavut Government, said.

“This initiative will be a step towards bridging those gaps and ensuring that Labrador Inuit have adequate access to opportunities for employment, health care and online learning.”

The two governments previously announced a $136 million investment in February. The project will bring high-speed internet to multiple communities, including Red Bay, Cape Broyle, and Humber Valley.

The announcements are part of the Government of Canada’s plan to connect 98 percent of Canadians with high-speed internet by 2026.

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Source: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada 

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Honda will spend $1.4 billion to upgrade plants for EV production in Ontario

Alliston, Ontario, Canada – August 4, 2019: Honda of Canada Manufacturing plant 2 in Alliston, Ontario, Canada. Honda Motor Company, Ltd is a Japanese public multinational conglomerate corporation.

The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing millions to help fuel domestic hybrid car production.

Each government is investing $131.6 million towards Honda Canada’s plans to upgrade its facilities in Alliston, Ontario.

“As we build a cleaner future, the automotive sector is a key partner in powering the way forward,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said at a news conference Wednesday.

Honda is investing $1.38 billion on upgrades over the next six years, including the collective $263.2 million from the two levels of government. The plants will eventually build a hybrid CR-V compact SUV.

“We are so pleased that Honda has made this investment in Ontario and know that the cars of the future will be built here in Alliston and all across Ontario for decades to come,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford said in a statement.

But it’s important to note neither political leader answered questions relating to Ontario’s rebate on electric vehicles, which was pulled in 2018.

“Since we’ve been in office, electric vehicles have tripled in sales, so I guess that was a good decision,” Ford said without answering the question directly.

Trudeau also dodged the question, stating the federal government was happy to collaborate with Ontario on the announcement.

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Governments of Canada and Alberta increase funding to end digital divide in Alberta

Canadian flag and Alberta flag blowing in the wind in the Canadian alpine.

The governments of Canada and Alberta are increasing their financial commitment to bring high-speed internet to rural Alberta residents.

In December, the two governments committed $300 million in joint funding. Today they increased funding to $780 million.

The increase deals with the $1 billion price tag to eliminate Alberta’s digital divide.

“We need to close this connection gap and ensure that every nook and cranny of Alberta has access to reliable high-speed internet,” Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, said in a statement.

Each government is funding $390 million. The federal government provides the money through the Universal Broadband Fund (UBF).

“With this funding agreement in place, we can focus on reviewing funding applications and getting shovels in the ground this spring so we can bring immediate relief to Albertans all across the province,” Nate Glubish, Minister of Service Alberta, said in a statement.

The federal government has already announced 21 projects in the province funded through the UBF fund, valued at $41 million. It’s unclear when the government will provide details on projects relating to today’s announcement.

All projects funded through the UBF can be viewed here.

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Source: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

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Government of Canada to fund developers who create software to address wildfire hazards

The Government of Canada has launched a challenge to offer small- and medium-sized Canadian businesses with funding for developers who tackle wildlife hazards.

Through its Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) program, the government is tasking innovators to design solutions to aid communities that may be at risk for wildfires. Specifically, Natural Resources Canada is challenging businesses to develop software that can produce high-resolution vegetation mapping data, which can help predict, assess and mitigate fires. The government notes that there aren’t enough tools at present to process wildfire fuel attributes in a quick and cost-effective manner.

Businesses that win the challenge may receive up to $150,000 for research and development purchases. Those accepted into Phase 2 of the program, meanwhile, will be awarded up to $1 million to create a working prototype. The government says it will then work with these businesses to commercialize their work.

2021 was one of Canada’s most damaging fire seasons in years due to 6.224 fires and a total area burned of 4.18 million hectares. Therefore, the government is hoping that innovators can help prevent such incidents.

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Source: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

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Federal government allocates millions to train young Canadians for the digital economy

OTTAWA, CANADA – NOVEMBER 10, 2018: Canada Wordmark, the official logo of the Canadian government, on an administrative building next to a Canadian flag waiving

The future is digital, and the Government of Canada is acknowledging this through its CanCode program.

Launched in 2017, the program allows youth to learn coding and other digital skills, ensuring Canada has a trained workforce that can respond to the digital economy and is strong in science, technology, engineering and math.

In its third round of funding, the government has committed $80 million towards 29 organizations to create 3 million training opportunities for students and 120,000 teachers.

Black Boys Code, Edmonton Space & Science Foundation, and Science East are some organizations receiving funding.

Students between kindergarten and Grade 12 will learn coding, data analytics, and digital content development. Teachers are given resources that help them incorporate digital skills in the classroom.

“To drive our economic success for years to come, we must support young Canadians in the digital world. By investing in resources that teach students things like coding and data analytics, we are helping them gain the skills needed to succeed in the 21st-century economy,” François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, said in a statement. “These are the skills that will help them transition from the classroom to research labs, shop floors and boardrooms.”

The program has provided 220,000 teachers and students with 4.5 million training opportunities in its first two rounds. This announcement brings that figure up to 7.5 million. A full list of funding recipients is available here.

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Source: Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

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Federal government allocates thousands to improve internet services in Hearst, Ontario

OTTAWA, CANADA – NOVEMBER 10, 2018: Canada Wordmark, the official logo of the Canadian government, on an administrative building next to a Canadian flag waiving

Hundred of households in Hearst, Ontario will soon benefit from improved internet connectivity thanks to a recent announcement made by the federal government.

$763,000 has been allocated to bring high-speed internet to 373 households in the Northern Ontario town.

The funding is coming from the Universal Broadband Fund. The government has dedicated nearly $3 billion towards the fund to support projects bringing high-speed internet to communities in Canada.

131 projects were supported by funding through this stream last year, benefiting 75,000 households in remote communities across Canada.

The recent announcement is part of the government’s initiative to ensure 98 percent of residents have access to high-speed internet by 2026 and more announcements are expected.

“We will continue making investments like these in rural and remote communities to help connect every single Canadian to high-speed internet,” Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, said in a statement.

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Source: Government of Canada

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A decision on Huawei’s future in Canada might be coming soon: Here’s how we got here

Smart phone with the logo of Huawei and 5G. The 5g are new communication technologies that Huawei incorporates. United States, California, Friday, January 17, 2020,

The federal government holds the fate of Huawei’s 5G future in Canada in its hands.

For months, the government has said that an announcement regarding whether the Chinese telecom company will be able to provide infrastructure for Canada’s 5G network is coming. However, there is no clear indication as to when it will actually deliver a decision.

There are concerns the company is tied to the Chinese government, and questions have been raised about potential privacy impacts if Huawei is allowed to provide equipment related to Canada’s 5G infrastructure.

The existence of the supposed ties isn’t the only issue. All of Canada’s allies in the Five Eyes, an intelligence-sharing alliance, have banned or restricted the use of Huawei equipment on their 5G networks. If Canada decides to allow Huawei in its 5G network, it’ll likely face backlash from the alliance.

Canada and Huawei were already on rocky terms given the 2018 arrest of Huawei’s chief financial officer Meng Wanzhou at the request of the United States.

Two Canadian businessmen in China were arrested soon after. While the Chinese government has long denied the arrests were in retaliation to actions taken against Wanzhou, they stated the outcome for the Canadians wouldn’t be good if Wanzhou were to be extradited to the U.S.

All of this transpired while Canadian telecom companies hung in limbo, unsure whether or not they’d be allowed to use Huawei equipment, including what they had already installed.

Bell and Telus have used Huawei equipment in their networks and previously asked the federal government to pay for that equipment if it bans Huawei and forces them to replace it. Both carriers have announced partnerships with Ericsson and Nokia for 5G — Rogers has had a 5G partnership with Ericsson since 2018.

Huawei’s recent history with Canada is problematic, and it may play a role in the government’s final verdict. Here’s everything you need to know about the factors that might influence the decision:

December 1st, 2018: Wanzhou is arrested in Vancouver at the request of the U.S. on allegations she violated trade sanctions in Iran.

December 10th, 2018: Two Canadians are detained in China in alleged retaliation to Wanzhou’s arrest.

March 1st, 2019: The federal government proceeds with its case against Wanzhou.

June 24th, 2019: Wanzhou’s lawyers say stopping extradition proceedings will be in Canada’s national interests.

January 20th, 2020: Wanzhou’s extradition hearing begins.

January 21st, 2020: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau dismisses the idea of a prisoner exchange.

February 10th, 2020: Canada’s top military officials want the government to ban Huawei from the 5G network, saying it could threaten national security.

March 6th, 2020: Canada’s former Innovation Minister, Navdeep Bains, says the government won’t be influenced by other jurisdictions when deciding on Huawei’s fate.

June 2nd, 2020: Telecom giants Telus and Bell announce they’ll be working with Ericsson and Nokia to build their 5G networks, ditching previous desires to work with Huawei among ongoing tension.

June 21st, 2020: Bains says China is applying pressure on Canada to allow Huawei to be part of the 5G rollout.

June 30th, 2020: Huawei is labelled as a national security threat in the U.S.

July 19th, 2020: Former Foreign Affairs Minister Fançois-Philipe Champagne said Canada’s delay in deciding on Huawei has no connection to the detained Canadians.

September 14th, 2020: Federal government would be unlikely to pay carriers to tear down installed Huawei equipment if a ban is approved. Removal will cost an estimated $1 billion.

September 17th, 2020: Huawei drafts a “no-spying” pledge to convince Canada their equipment doesn’t create a security threat.

November 18th, 2020: Parliament passes a Conservative motion asking governing Liberals to decide on their Huawei 5G security review.

June 26th, 2021: A report from Public Safety Canada states an increase in cyber attacks on Huawei devices after Wanzhou’s arrest.

September 24th, 2021: Wanzhou pleads not guilty to charges and reaches an agreement with the U.S. justice department. A B.C. court drops her extradition charges, and she leaves the country.

September 24th, 2021: The two detained Canadians are released hours after Wanzhou’s situation is resolved.

November 26th, 2021: Bell and Telus ask the government to consider compensating them to remove Huawei equipment, pending their decision on the company’s faith. Both networks installed equipment to be used for networks in previous generations.

December 2nd, 2021: Reports indicate Canadian companies spent an estimated $700 million installing Huawei equipment from previous generations as telecom companies again ask the feds for financial assistance if the equipment needs to be removed.

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Government releases first set of public feedback to access to information laws

Peace Tower at the Parliament of Canada in Ottawa Framed in Arch

More can be done to improve how Canadians are able to access information from the Government of Canada.

This is according to the first look at the review of access to information. The reviews were ordered back in June 2019 when Bill C-58 was updated. The bill focuses on providing Canadians access to government information and was updated for the first time since the 1980s.

The change was intended to make government actions more transparent. Reviews are to take place every five years and the first one began in June 2020. The information outlined in this article is part of the first interim review. A complete review is ongoing.

Three “key themes” emerged from the interim report through engagement with Canadians.

The first theme was to review the legislative framework. Feedback included Canada expanding who can submit a request under the Access to Information Act to anyone in the world.

Participants also spoke on the scope of this act, which touches on federal institutions that must comply with the act, and exemptions. The findings note “many participants expressed a sense of frustration with exemptions, noting that in many cases their requests were severely delayed or returned with relevant information redacted.” There was a general consensus that the exemption guidelines should be reviewed.

The second theme focused on making more information openly available. On proactive publications, which obligates the government to make certain pieces of information automatically available, more can be done. Feedback focused on making more government documents open to the public automatically. Participants noted this information should go beyond administrative or financial data.

The third theme focused on how the system handles requests. Requests must be responded to within 30-days, but the head of an institution can grant an extension based on what they believe is a reasonable time period. This has contributed to a culture of delay that has become normalized. Participants noted requests can often stretch out for long periods of time, and this adds to the feeling of secrecy surrounding government actions.

The next step of the review will focus on Indigenous organizations and peoples. Further details will be provided sometime next year.

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Source: Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat

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Federal government grants funding to three new accessible technology projects

Document Management Data System Business Internet Concept

The Government of Canada is funding new projects to make it easier for Canadians living with disabilities to access the digital economy.

The nearly $754,000 in funding is coming from the Accessible Technology Program (ATP). It’s part of the government’s Innovation and Skills Plan and is focused on creating jobs for middle-class residents.

Technologies HumanWare Inc. will receive $200,000 to create a device that will show raised graphics with multiline Braille text. This will provide users with disabilities access to documents in real-time.

$351,000 will go to the Centre for Equitable Library Access to create a program that will improve voice assistant options and provide more choices for reading materials.

Concordia University is receiving $203,000 to create a chatbot that will respond to information requests.

“By partnering with innovative and caring organizations across the country, Canadians with disabilities will have access to essential high-quality assistive equipment,” François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, said in a statement.

In total, 28 projects have been funded through the ATP program.

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Source: Government of Canada

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All Venise-en-Québec homes will soon have access to high-speed internet

3D Rendering of abstract highway path through digital binary towers in city. Concept of big data, machine learning, artificial intelligence, hyper loop, virtual reality, high speed network.

The federal government is teaming up with the Province of Quebec to invest $536,000 to bring high-speed internet to 855 homes in the Quebec municipality by September 2022.

The service will be provided by IHR Télécom, a non-profit organization that provides telecommunication services in rural areas. The company is also making its own investment, bringing the total number of homes that will get access to 1,200.

“High-speed internet service is essential for everyone living in rural and remote communities,” Gudie Hutchings, the minister of rural economic development, said. “Broadband infrastructure will help create jobs, improve access to health care and online learning services, and keep people connected to their family and friends.”

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Source: Ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada