(La Pêche) If it’s up to François Legault, the era (still current) when citizens in several regions look at their cell phones with the hope of seeing small bars appear on them indicating that they have of the network will be over within four years.
Posted at 11:14 a.m.
The leader of the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) promises that his party will complete cellular coverage across the province by 2026. For the caquistes, this promise will serve both citizens, who outside major centers do not often have more network, but also businesses, whose growth is affected by the lack of cellular coverage.
To achieve this, the CAQ is proposing to create a public-private investment and economic development fund this year to invest in connectivity infrastructure projects. The Quebec government would pay 3 billion and François Legault wants private companies to invest 4.8 billion.
This fund, pleads the CAQ, “will make it possible to extend the cellular network throughout Quebec, to convert it in large part to 5G technology and to offer access to optical fiber to all”.
“Around the world, we see that private companies are not able to invest enough to support the constant increase in data traffic on their entire network. If we do not take an interest in this situation, we risk seeing new digital divides between regions, major urban centers and the rest of the planet,” explains the party.
François Legault had already announced his colors last spring by promising cellular coverage in all regions during a potential second term.
A few days ago, when an alert was sent to warn citizens that an armed individual was prowling near Saint-Elzéar-de-Bonaventure, in Gaspésie, all Quebec citizens had received it except… residents of targeted sector.
“It was my first battle, the cellular network, and today, unfortunately, we realized that it is really a necessity, it is not a whim. […] In the village, there are not many people who pick up the cellular network, “lamented Mayor Pâquerette Poirier to Radio-Canada.