Thank you, Mr. Chair and members of the committee, for the invitation to appear before you today.
As introduced, my name is Matthew Kellison—anglophone—and I am the director general of the spectrum policy branch at Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada or, as we call it, ISED. I'm joined by my colleague Andre Arbour, who is also anglophone and who is ISED's director general of telecommunications policy. That's just to clarify things up front, but we're obviously happy to answer questions in both languages.
I think you heard very clearly in the first session that reliable access to high-speed Internet and mobile connectivity is of keen importance to Canadians. It's why rural and remote connectivity remains a top priority for ISED as a driver of social welfare, community development and economic growth.
We're pleased to join you today to talk about our activities related to the spectrum policy framework for Canada or, as we sometimes call it, the SPFC, which is the subject of this bill.
Spectrum enables wireless communications, including mobile phones, satellites and Wi-Fi networks. In Canada, the Minister of Industry is responsible for managing spectrum under the Radiocommunication Act.
The SPFC is the policy foundation for ISED's spectrum management regime. Its objective is to maximize the economic and social benefits that Canadians derive from the use of finite radio frequency spectrum, which is a public resource. While individual spectrum policies are developed through consultation and based on the specifics of the spectrum in question, the overarching objectives and principles set out by the spectrum policy framework for Canada make their way into all of ISED's spectrum policies.
Rural connectivity remains a guiding priority for ISED's spectrum policy. Our most recent five-year spectrum outlook, which was published in 2023, complements the spectrum policy framework and identifies rural and indigenous connectivity gaps as priorities for ISED's spectrum management program. We continue to implement spectrum frameworks with specific measures to improve connectivity in rural and remote areas.
For example, when we allocate spectrum, either through auctions or through a first-come, first-served framework, we use deployment requirements that are intended to get spectrum into use. These requirements ramp up over time and are intended to support a “use it or lose it” approach to spectrum licensing. In our recent spectrum auctions, we have been strengthening these requirements, and we have been targeting them to smaller areas, including rural and remote communities, to make sure that spectrum is put to use everywhere.
Our policies also seek to lower barriers for small, rural, indigenous and community-based providers to support greater competition, more consumer choice and better connectivity in rural and remote areas. For example, our local licensing framework, which we launched last year, provides easy, automated access to the 5G spectrum on a local basis wherever it's needed by rural wireless Internet service providers, industrial and private network users and indigenous communities. Similarly, our recently launched access licensing framework makes already licensed but unused spectrum in rural areas available to new users so that it can be put to use, including to connect rural and indigenous communities.
Finally, ISED is leveraging a range of technologies to try to close connectivity gaps in some of the hardest to reach areas of Canada. In 2025, ISED established a supplemental mobile coverage by satellite framework, which will enable satellite-to-cell services to close persistent mobile coverage gaps, particularly along rural, remote and rural roads.
In doing this, ISED is guided by the principles in the spectrum policy framework to advance our overall objective of maximizing the economic and social benefits that Canadians derive from spectrum.
Bill C-268 reinforces work already under way within our spectrum management program. It would require the minister to review the framework every five years, in consultation with a series of stakeholders, and table a report in Parliament. It would also require the minister to identify potential updates to the framework with a priority for connectivity. The bill also requires the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, or CRTC, to establish a process to ensure the accuracy of mobile coverage data. This is consistent with a regulatory process the CRTC launched in January, and we understand that new requirements on industry will be issued soon.
This bill is consistent with our ongoing efforts to ensure that Canada's spectrum policy remains responsive to technological and industry changes, ultimately supporting our overall objective that spectrum is put to use to maximize its benefits for Canadians.
Thank you for your time. I would be happy to answer any questions.
