Reducing the Digital Divide in Rural Manitoba: A Proposed Framework

Abstract

Outside of larger centres across Canada public policies and corporate investments have left 2 million rural households under-served with broadband network capacity. After nearly 20 years of activities this gap may be closing, yet front line strategists suggest our rural digital divide will persist for years to come. A supplemental to the current approach is needed to connect these rural areas, yet it may require different technologies and social capital investment. This paper brings the reader inside a Manitoba working group (Forum) to reveal how applied research, assisted in formulating an integrated action framework that proposes an approach to provide access to users and expand the uses of broadband while calling for leadership and utilizing social marketing. New partnerships are envisioned across three levels of public sector, ISPs, and local businesses, along with youth and citizens. A proposed implementation framework is offered as an approach to incrementally provide specific rural broadband services to one area before moving to the next. This framework is not a silver bullet for all rural areas, but rather offers an approach that might be a useful starting point for under-served rural areas in Canada. Keywords: Rural broadband, under-served communities, access, availability, partnerships, integrated approach, implementation