Improve rural infrastructure before it’s too late: Senator Rob Black
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COVID-19 has had widespread and long-lasting effects across the globe, and rural Canadian communities from coast to coast to coast have not been immune. In particular, rural areas have had to address a number of infrastructure issues to ensure they are able to continue safely living, playing and working in their communities.
Time and time again, I have heard that rural Canadians are frustrated with the lack of attention paid to their regions. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted long-term infrastructure issues, such as the need for better public transit, more and better access to high-speed broadband, water and irrigation infrastructure and clean energy projects. These are all matters central to making communities livable in the 21st century and I am disappointed to see that it is rural Canadians who are left by the wayside.
I am a proud resident of Fergus — a thriving rural community in Ontario’s Wellington County. Although there are many things that I love about living in a rural area, one thing I don’t appreciate is my poor internet connection. This is an ongoing issue, not only for me, but for countless residents in rural, remote and northern communities across the country. It is unfathomable that in 2021, rural Canadians are unable to access reliable high-speed internet.
Our increased dependency on internet connectivity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic only further highlighted this disparity between urban and rural communities. This is an issue that must be addressed sooner rather than later by both government and the telecommunications industry. However, throwing more money at the problem isn’t the answer. We do not need more promises to get every Canadian connected in the next 5, 10 or 15 years; we need shovels in the ground now.
Other issues rural Canadians are facing concern transportation infrastructure. I’ve heard appeals for better public transit, improved maintenance of roadways, bridges and railways, improved water access and storage and investments in social and green infrastructure. The COVID-19 pandemic has also taught us the importance of having access to health services and a social network, as well as affordable and healthy food. Unfortunately, rural residents often have trouble accessing many of these services.
These are critical issues that will need to be addressed to ensure that rural communities remain a viable choice for Canadians to live, work and play. Rural communities are the lifeblood of this country. Their residents often provide the labour for industries across Canada and this is a fact that cannot be ignored.
In many cases, rural communities are tightly intertwined with Canada’s agricultural industry. According to the Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council, one in eight jobs across the country are based in agriculture and many of these positions are rooted in rural communities. I firmly believe Canada cannot hope to adequately support rural communities without also supporting the agricultural industry. These regions feed our country; it is therefore in Canada’s best interests to provide equal access and opportunity to communities outside of our urban centres.
I would like to express, once again, how proud I am — not only of how the agricultural community responded to the pandemic, but also of how Canadians stepped up to support our farmers. There is now widespread interest in learning how and where our food is grown. It is time for the government to get behind our agricultural industry and our rural communities to ensure that our food security and food sovereignty is protected.
I am also hopeful this year’s throne speech will include explicit government policy for rural communities with clear timelines to provide support for critical infrastructure — such as broadband access and improved transportation options — and dedicated support for the agriculture and agri-food industries as a key driver in the post-pandemic economic recovery. In this day and age, rural communities cannot continue to be an afterthought, or we may one day be faced with the potential collapse of many of these communities.
Senator Rob Black is the chair of the Canadian Senators Group and represents Ontario in the Senate.
This article appeared in the October 20, 2021 edition of The Hill Times.
COVID-19 has had widespread and long-lasting effects across the globe, and rural Canadian communities from coast to coast to coast have not been immune. In particular, rural areas have had to address a number of infrastructure issues to ensure they are able to continue safely living, playing and working in their communities.
Time and time again, I have heard that rural Canadians are frustrated with the lack of attention paid to their regions. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted long-term infrastructure issues, such as the need for better public transit, more and better access to high-speed broadband, water and irrigation infrastructure and clean energy projects. These are all matters central to making communities livable in the 21st century and I am disappointed to see that it is rural Canadians who are left by the wayside.
I am a proud resident of Fergus — a thriving rural community in Ontario’s Wellington County. Although there are many things that I love about living in a rural area, one thing I don’t appreciate is my poor internet connection. This is an ongoing issue, not only for me, but for countless residents in rural, remote and northern communities across the country. It is unfathomable that in 2021, rural Canadians are unable to access reliable high-speed internet.
Our increased dependency on internet connectivity as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic only further highlighted this disparity between urban and rural communities. This is an issue that must be addressed sooner rather than later by both government and the telecommunications industry. However, throwing more money at the problem isn’t the answer. We do not need more promises to get every Canadian connected in the next 5, 10 or 15 years; we need shovels in the ground now.
Other issues rural Canadians are facing concern transportation infrastructure. I’ve heard appeals for better public transit, improved maintenance of roadways, bridges and railways, improved water access and storage and investments in social and green infrastructure. The COVID-19 pandemic has also taught us the importance of having access to health services and a social network, as well as affordable and healthy food. Unfortunately, rural residents often have trouble accessing many of these services.
These are critical issues that will need to be addressed to ensure that rural communities remain a viable choice for Canadians to live, work and play. Rural communities are the lifeblood of this country. Their residents often provide the labour for industries across Canada and this is a fact that cannot be ignored.
In many cases, rural communities are tightly intertwined with Canada’s agricultural industry. According to the Canadian Agricultural Human Resources Council, one in eight jobs across the country are based in agriculture and many of these positions are rooted in rural communities. I firmly believe Canada cannot hope to adequately support rural communities without also supporting the agricultural industry. These regions feed our country; it is therefore in Canada’s best interests to provide equal access and opportunity to communities outside of our urban centres.
I would like to express, once again, how proud I am — not only of how the agricultural community responded to the pandemic, but also of how Canadians stepped up to support our farmers. There is now widespread interest in learning how and where our food is grown. It is time for the government to get behind our agricultural industry and our rural communities to ensure that our food security and food sovereignty is protected.
I am also hopeful this year’s throne speech will include explicit government policy for rural communities with clear timelines to provide support for critical infrastructure — such as broadband access and improved transportation options — and dedicated support for the agriculture and agri-food industries as a key driver in the post-pandemic economic recovery. In this day and age, rural communities cannot continue to be an afterthought, or we may one day be faced with the potential collapse of many of these communities.
Senator Rob Black is the chair of the Canadian Senators Group and represents Ontario in the Senate.
This article appeared in the October 20, 2021 edition of The Hill Times.