Kenora MP says gaps in internet service could be fixed in 5 years

The Member of Parliament for the riding of Kenora says gaps in high speed internet service in northwestern Ontario can be filled in five years.

Bob Nault was reacting to Wednesday's announcement by the CRTC that proclaimed broadband internet access a basic service.

• CRTC declares broadband internet access a basic service

In its ruling, the national regulator ordered the country's providers to begin working toward boosting internet service and speeds in rural and isolated areas.

Nault said it's unacceptable that so much of the northwest, outside of the major centres, is without that basic service.

"We have all these blank spots that they'll have to fix," he told CBC News.

"I've been in conversations now for a number of months with Bell Canada, who will be one of the major providers, with the idea that, okay, if the funding is available how do we get this done?"

Until now, local landline telephone service was the only service deemed "basic" or essential by the CRTC.

The regulator will require Canada's internet service providers to contribute to a $750-million fund to improve access in remote and rural areas of Canada.

Nault said along with the federal Liberals' commitment of $500 million for rural and remote internet service, enough money should be in place to help bring high speed to all of the northwest.

The CRTC set new targets for internet service providers to offer customers in all parts of the country download speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of at least 10 Mbps, and to also offer the option of unlimited data.