Regional Connectivity Strategy (RCS)

• November: 2024 Regional Connectivity Strategy Report is presented to the PRRD Board.
• May: Work begins on the 2024 Regional Connectivity Strategy Report.

• October: PRRD adopted Bylaw No. 2487, 2022 that gives it the legal power to raise money and give grants to ISPs to expand service in areas that need it.
• August: PRRD asked for proposals from Internet and cellular service providers interested in expanding high-speed service, especially along major highways.
• April: PRRD starts a process called a Request to Participate (RTP) with the Province of British Columbia. This process helps the Province figure out how much it would cost, and which companies are interested in providing better internet and connectivity services to parts of the Province that need them most.

• November: 2021 Regional Connectivity Strategy Report is presented to the PRRD Board.
• May: Broadband Internet and Mobility Standing Committee (BMIC) is created to develop policy, secure funding and make recommendations to the PRRD Board.
• February: PRRD launched the Internet Speed Test Portal in partnership with the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA), to collect real-world data from residents about their connection speeds.

• December 2020 - April 2021: Fibre Working Group (FWG), including all member municipalities and Electoral Areas, worked together to review regional needs, define project priorities and governance.

• November: PRRD hires companies (Valo Networks and Canadian Fiber Optics Corporation) to help build a feasibility study and provide recommendations to the board.

Not necessarily. The Regional Connectivity Strategy means the Regional District is advocating for more projects in the region by working with the provincial government and Internet Service Providers (ISPs).

The PRRD does not have direct control over bringing high-speed internet to the region. We can only work with these partners to try and start more projects.

The Peace region has unique challenges when building internet infrastructure:

Infrastructure and Terrain Barriers

• Low Population Density: Rural communities are widely spread out, making it expensive and logistically difficult for internet providers to lay cables and build infrastructure to serve fewer customers per mile.
• Geographical Barriers: The region's rugged terrain—including hills, forests and other natural obstacles complicates laying traditional wired internet technologies like fiber-optic cable.

Economic Disincentives

• Limited Investment: Internet Service Providers (ISPs) typically focus on urban areas where the higher concentration of potential customers offers a quicker path to profit, leading to under-investment in rural networks.

How the Regional Connectivity Strategy (RCS) is Helping

The RCS is working to overcome these obstacles. The Regional District is collaborating with the provincial government and ISPs to create incentives that make building and expanding high-speed internet networks in the Peace region more financially viable for providers.

Connectivity is a general term that refers to a program or device’s ability to link up with other programs and devices. In simple terms, it's the ability to connect. This includes everything from making a phone call to getting your device (like a phone or laptop) connected to the internet.

Broadband is a term for high-speed internet. It allows you to send and receive data, voice and video quickly.

The most common types of broadband are Fibre Optic, Digital Subscriber Line (DSL), Cable, Satellite and Wireless. Fibre is currently the most popular and fastest type.

FTTP stands for Fibre-to-the-Premises. This is a specific kind of fibre optic broadband where the cables run all the way from the local internet exchange (a central hub for data) directly to your location.

The CRTC stands for the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission.

The CRTC is a Canadian agency that oversees and regulates over 2,000 broadcasting companies.

This includes:

• TV services and the companies that deliver them.
• AM and FM radio stations.
• Major telephone companies and other telecommunications providers.

In short, they're the main regulator for TV, radio and phone services in Canada.

The Internet Service Providers (ISPs) have the capacity and know how to build and operate internet projects and therefore they apply for CRTC grants to assist them in covering some of the cost to build.

While the PRRD does not apply for the money itself, we do support the ISPs by giving them the letters of support they need for the CRTC grant process.