NLIS 4
June 20, 2003
(Education)

 

Government of Canada and Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
partner to fund broadband access to rural and remote schools and communities

Minister of Industry and minister responsible for infrastructure, Allan Rock, together with Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Roger Grimes, today announced the commitment of the Government of Canada and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador to a $15-million initiative to expand high-speed broadband Internet access services to rural and remote schools and communities in the province. Each level of government will contribute $5 million towards this initiative.

"Broadband access has the potential to enhance the quality of life for all Canadians, especially for residents of communities in rural and remote areas of the country. In particular, using broadband will provide this benefit through distance learning, tele-health, and e-business services," said Minister Rock. "This broadband initiative under the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund demonstrates our commitment to innovation and learning. It also brings the government one step closer to ensuring broadband access is available to all Canadian communities by 2005."

"The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is committed to investing in education through both our Strategic Social Plan and the Renewal Strategy for Jobs and Growth," said Premier Grimes. "In particular, we are committed to ensuring equal educational opportunity for our young people, whether they live in a large urban centre or a small rural community. Strategic investments in leading edge telecommunications infrastructure, such as high speed broadband Internet, allows us to strengthen our distance education delivery system throughout the province. Broadband infrastructure can also be used for other community applications, such as the provision of telemedicine services, on-line government services and e-commerce within the private sector."

The project will expand and improve the delivery and accessibility of the services offered by the Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation (CDLI), an initiative launched by the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador in October 2002. The CDLI uses a Web-based approach to deliver a form of distance education called e-learning. E-learning connects teachers and students scattered over a wide geographical area through telecommunications systems and computer networks. The technology permits students from any number of schools in different districts to take a given course together, and to interact with their teachers and with one another.

Gerry Byrne, Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, offered his comments in reference to today's announcement. "Expanded broadband access will not only facilitate education delivery to remote communities, but it will give the whole community improved access to the information and e-learning tools needed for community capacity building in the knowledge-based economy," said Minister Byrne.

Newfoundland and Labrador Minister of Education Gerry Reid joined Premier Grimes for the announcement. "In Newfoundland and Labrador, approximately two-thirds of our schools are located in rural communities. The Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation was established two years ago, as we set about to face some of the challenges in continuing to deliver quality educational programs and services to rural schools," said Minister Reid. "We have been very successful to date, with 19 e-teachers delivering courses to more than 700 students province-wide. This funding will help us to build on this success, for the benefit of our children and rural communities."

The Government of Canada and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will each contribute up to $5 million towards the costs of implementing this $15 million initiative. Through a call for expressions of interest, the governments will seek private sector involvement to provide the infrastructure and to match or exceed the $5 million investment from each level of government.

The Government of Canada�s contribution represents the first investment in broadband technology infrastructure under the $2-billion Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund. Through the fund, the Government of Canada works with provincial, territorial and municipal governments, as well as with the private sector, to meet strategic infrastructure needs throughout the country. These investments are directed to large-scale projects of major national and regional significance, in areas that are vital to sustaining economic growth and supporting an enhanced quality of life for Canadians.

In the Speech from the Throne of September 30, 2002, the Government of Canada committed to an additional 10-year involvement in public infrastructure. Its Budget 2003 re-affirmed this long-term commitment, and built the funding for this initiative into the fiscal framework. The Government of Canada�s contribution to infrastructure since 1993 now amounts to $12 billion.

In its Budget 2003/04, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced the provincial contribution of $5 million toward this broadband initiative.

For more information on Infrastructure Canada and its programs, please visit: www.infrastructurecanada.gc.ca

For more information on the Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation (CDLI) in Newfoundland and Labrador, please visit: www.cdli.ca

For more information, please contact:

Selena Beattie
Office of Allan Rock Minister of Industry and Minister responsible for Infrastructure
(613) 995-9001

Infrastructure Canada
Communications and Promotion
(613) 948-1148

Catherina Kennedy
Office of the Premier
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
(709) 729-3960

Elizabeth Matthews
Department of Education
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
(709) 729-0048

BACKGROUNDER
"Connecting Learners And Communities"
Expansion of Broadband Services to Rural and Remote Schools and Communities in
Newfoundland and Labrador

Broadband access has the potential to bring Canadians and Canadian communities new opportunities in a number of areas, including learning, health, business, and entertainment. The Connecting Learners and Communities project will provide broadband Internet services to schools as well as rural and remote communities across the province. In particular, this project will facilitate online distance learning and virtual classrooms for small, rural and remote schools.

The province�s distance-learning program, provided through its Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation (CDLI), will coordinate and administer the project. CDLI uses a Web-based approach to deliver a form of distance education called e-learning. E-learning connects teachers and students scattered over a wide geographical area through telecommunications systems and computer networks. This will permit students from any number of schools in different districts to take a given course together, and interact with the teacher and with one another.

Schools in more densely populated areas of the province currently have access to affordable broadband services. Broadband services in rural and remote areas have not been widely available, due to the high costs and low population density. Yet, it is schools and communities in those areas that would likely receive the greatest socio-economic benefit from the provision of affordable broadband services (e.g., distance education, social services, tele-health).

At present, most rural and remote schools and communities can connect to the Internet in a variety of ways, but many have no or limited access to broadband connectivity. This funding initiative will help ensure that the greatest number of schools and communities have up-to-date and ongoing access to broadband and enhanced applications. The highest priority will be given to communities where high schools offer courses online through CDLI. Priority will then be given to communities where K-9 schools are connected via DirecPC satellite dishes or telephone dial-up. The remainder will be included on a best value basis.

By collaborating on projects that use new technologies and innovative initiatives, the Governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador are helping to ensure that all students in the province have access to a greater range of high quality educational programs and services.

The total cost of the project will be approximately $15 million. The Government of Canada and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will each contribute up to $5 million towards the cost of implementing the project. Through a call for expressions of interest, the governments will seek private sector involvement to match or exceed the $5 million investment from each level of government.

The Government of Canada and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador will be guided by a number of principles that have been identified as critical to the long-term success of this project. These principles will ensure that a private sector partner is chosen through a competitive, neutral process and has a key role in designing, operating and financing the broadband network. As well, this project should be sustainable and affordable over the long term. Finally, in consideration of the overall objective to provide broadband connectivity to as many schools and communities as possible, this project must allow for open access, where reasonable and practical, so that other Internet service providers can also benefit from the new infrastructure being introduced and offer broadband services to local residents.

Broadband funding under Infrastructure Canada supports the Government of Canada�s Broadband for Rural and Northern Development Pilot Program (BRAND), launched by Minister Allan Rock in September 2002.

Through the Broadband for Rural and Northern Development Pilot Program and the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund, the Government of Canada is working to ensure complementary and effective delivery of broadband services to enable rural and remote communities access to e-learning and tele-health, and to help small businesses in rural and remote areas obtain improved access to e-government and other online services. Both are crucial in helping to connect all Canadian communities to broadband Internet service by 2005.

The Government of Canada�s contribution will come from the $2 billion Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund announced in Budget 2001. The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador�s contribution was announced in its 2003/04 Budget.

For more information on the Canada Strategic Infrastructure Fund, please visit the Infrastructure Canada Web site at: www.infrastructurecanada.gc.ca

For more information on the Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation (CDLI), please visit: www.cdli.ca

2003 06 20                                       12:00 p.m.


SearchHomeBack to GovernmentContact Us


All material copyright the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. No unauthorized copying or redeployment permitted. The Government assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of any material deployed on an unauthorized server.
Disclaimer/Copyright/Privacy Statement