Toronto’s city broadband gets the green light

Toronto City Council has approved a plan for the development of a city broadband network to expand access to affordable high-speed internet.

The ConnectTO network will be created by using city-owned assets, such as fibre, buildings, lights and sidewalks, and will be delivered to homes and businesses by a private sector partner.

Access will be offered to service providers “at a fair price” to generate revenue, which will be re-invested back into the network to increase coverage and lower costs, the city said.

The programme reflects a broader push in cities around the world to close the digital divide as the pandemic has exposed gaps and inequalities which affect people’s ability to learn, work and socialise. The drive has highlighted the importance of not only the availability of internet services but also their reliability and affordability.

Cost matters

Geographically, almost all of Toronto has access to connectivity but there are still gaps in high-speed internet coverage and even where it exists, it can be too expensive for many residents.

Lawrence Eta, Chief Technology Officer, City of Toronto, said: “We know that our most vulnerable residents and business are being left behind without fast, reliable and affordable internet.

“ConnectTO is our opportunity to bridge this gap and provide opportunities for prosperity, services and supports for all. I am very pleased this project is moving ahead and looking forward to the deployment of this innovative city-wide network.”

A report published last month by the Ryserson Leadership Lab and the Brookfield Institute for Innovation + Entrepreneurship, which was partly funded by the City, found that of the two percent of Toronto households not connected to home internet, half put this down to the cost, and 61 percent say it is impacting their ability to access critical services and information. A third of Toronto households are worried about paying their home internet bills over the next few months.

The 2017 Toronto Broadband Study found that the average monthly service fee from the predominant providers in the market was CAN$81.47 (US$63.61).

Government takes bigger role

Eta indicated that the city broadband plan was in the works at a Cities Today roundtable last summer, saying he was inspired by cities such as Chattanooga in Tennessee which provides fibre connectivity through the city-owned utility EPB. An independent study recently found that Chattanooga’s high-speed, community-wide network has delivered economic and social benefits worth over US$2.69 billion in its first decade.

Eta agreed at the time that Toronto’s plan would lead to “new conversations” with telecommunications operators and the private sector but said: “I feel adamant that this is the role of government. We need to demonstrate a government leadership role in servicing the public.”

The ConnectTO proposal presented to the Council stresses that the programme is not positioning the city as an Internet Service provider competitor and aims to “complement, not compete” by filling gaps in fibre connectivity to underserved areas.

“The goal of the programme is to provide the city with a direct voice where broadband internet is delivered and reduce internet costs for vulnerable residents,” it says.

Phased approach

ConnectTO will be deployed in phases, starting with a pilot in three low-income areas of the city from late 2021. Phase two of the project would see the network launched city-wide starting in early 2022.

Funding of CAN$350,000 has been included in the Technology Services 2021 Capital Budget submission for tasks scheduled for this year.

The next steps are to develop a strategic framework and work plan as well as a digital equity policy. The city will also review municipal broadband business models, including joint ventures and public-private partnerships, and examine ways to integrate high-speed internet into all new affordable housing developments and all large-scale revitalisation projects.

There are also plans to accelerate a Wi-Fi pilot at Toronto Community Housing Corporation and explore the feasibility of expanding it.

Eta will report back to Council by the end of 2021.