March 21, 2000
(Industry, Trade and Technology)

I am pleased to update my honourable colleagues about several new developments taking place in our technology sector, which will have a positive impact on our rural communities and rural-based businesses.

Recently, NewTel Communications announced a $40 million network enhancement program, Network 2000, which will enable a total of 310 communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador to benefit from the latest in telecommunications technology. This is in keeping with a commitment NewTel made to government in 1997 to have completed a 100 per cent digital network by the end of 2000. The completion of the upgrade had to be extended slightly, until early 2001, because of emergency upgrades. To date, NewTel has recruited 50 new employees to work on the project.

As mentioned in the Speech from the Throne last week, this is something we have been strongly encouraging the company to do for quite some time, and we are pleased that they are implementing these upgrades.

The Network 2000 program has already begun. The company has told us that they have condensed the implementation from four years to 18 months, the shortest time frame that is physically possible, given that lines must be upgraded in sequence.

The program is intended to provide enhanced telecommunications services to virtually all areas of our province during the next two years.

As my honourable colleagues are aware, in many rural communities throughout our province, network congestion and lack of local dial access to the Internet have been major problems. These concerns were expressed by many people during the Jobs and Growth consultations last fall, and during the BayBYTES Rural Technology Forum held in Port Blandford last September.

These investments made by NewTel help to address these issues. While the upgrades will take awhile to complete, they are an important step in providing rural Newfoundland and Labrador with better service, which is particularly important during emergencies. When completed, the upgrades should also open up new opportunities for rural businesses, especially in our growing technology industry.

These upgrades represent a recognition of the importance of technology to businesses in all areas of our province. Through Operation ONLINE, an organization that advances and promotes our IT sector, my department is also working to open up new opportunities in rural areas.

Operation ONLINE is currently hosting a series of workshops on starting a new information technology business and on using IT as a business enabler through Internet-based applications and Web sites.

Conducted in partnership with the Genesis Centre, the Canadian Technology Network and the Y-Enterprise, the first sessions were recently held in the central region and approximately 100 people attended the three workshops.

Operation ONLINE is planning more workshops throughout the province, with the next series scheduled for the west coast and the northern peninsula at the end of April.

Operation ONLINE is also working with the four Avalon zonal boards to develop an e-commerce pilot project. The focus will be mainly for tourism and small manufacturing companies, such as craft producers. To date, 30 companies have been identified to go through the pilot project, which will show them how to use e-commerce for their businesses. When the project is completed, the businesses will be fully e-commerce enabled. The project will also serve as a model for other areas throughout our province.

The initiatives I have outlined today are important steps in further integrating technology into our rural communities. Through these and other initiatives, businesses throughout our province will be better equipped to use technology to compete in the global arena.

2000 03 21                                                                 2:15 p.m.