Rural residents, business owners near Ottawa demand faster internet

Tracey Brownsays you don't have to go far outside the nation's capital before cell services get spotty and internet access slows down dramatically.

Brown, who runs a music company in the Ottawa Valley, is part of a campaign that's ramping up in Mississippi Mills, Ont., to bring better broadband access to their area.

"A lot of the time ... we transfer or ship CDs or hard drives out, instead of working from home, because our broadband is so slow," said Brown.

The lack of reliable internetis a constant source of frustration not just for business owners, but also residents and students enrolled in e-learning programs in small Mississippi Mills communities like Clayton, Middleville, Pakenham and Appleton.

Now, they'vestarted a new working group that's applying to a federal program intended to boost internet access in Canada's rural areas.

• CRTC declares broadband interneta basic service
• Remote places need high speed internet to compete

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada is investing $500 million by 2021 to bring high-speed internetto remote regions of the country. The department's goal is to connect institutions likeschools and hospitals, along with so-called "last-mile" infrastructure to households and businesses.

Ross Bartlett, who lives and works in Lanark Highlands township,said only five per cent of Mississippi Mills has access to broadband services.

"Even though we're only a half an hour's drive from the nation's capital, we're still living with a low service level," said Bartlett, who also sits on the working group.

"Speeds are quite low, and it's just not practical for any sort of a business."

Real estate deals falling through

Bartlett saidreal estate agents have told the group that sales are falling through because of insufficient broadband services even though a lot of people want to live there and commute to Ottawa.

"It's almost like back in the day, whether or not you had indoor or outdoor plumbing. If you didn't have indoor plumbing, [the deal]wouldn't happen. It's a similar scenario here," said Bartlett.

The working group has set up a website and isasking residents and business owners to visit,register their internet speed, and describe how they've been affected by the lack ofhigh-speed services.

Bartlett said their local MP and MPP will also be sendingout surveys to all rural households, soliciting information about their needs.

He said the group should know by June if their application to the federal program was successful.

"The first installment will be put towards whatever we consider the best bang for the buck," he said.