Ottawa Community Housing has officially launched a free community Wi-Fi pilot called CommuniFi.
The project, managed by Capital FreeNet, will launch in buildings at 251 and 255 Donald Street in Ottawa’s Vanier neighbourhood. The free networks will be available in the buildings’ common areas.
Ottawa Community Housing hopes this project will transform the common areas into a hub for learning, support, and social engagement. The network will also be applicable to workshops, social activities, community events, and programs within the common areas.
The network will allow community partners to use the free Wi-Fi to deliver events, workshops, and programs and provide tenants with access to resources and opportunities within the building.
According to Ottawa Community Housing, this project is designed to provide low-income households with free internet so they can access resources such as education, employment, healthcare, and communication with friends and family without paying high telecommunication costs.
Among Canada’s three big telecommunication companies, a basic home internet package can start anywhere from $60 to $85 per month in Ontario. Rogers charges $60/mo for its 5G-based home internet or $75/mo for its ‘Starter’ wireline package, but that plan goes up to $90/mo after two years. Telus charges $79/mo for its newly launched PureFibre internet in Ontario, but that includes a $30/mo discount for two years and another $21/mo discount for bundling with a Telus mobile plan – the regular price is $130. Similarly, Bell’s $60/mo starting package rises to $85 monthly after two years.
However, it’s also worth noting that Rogers and Telus offer internet plans for low-income people through their respective Connected for Success and Internet for Good programs. Telus’ program is currently only available in Alberta and B.C. These programs require that people meet specific criteria and to submit applications in order to access the lower rates.
To put those costs in perspective, Canada’s Unemployment Insurance has a maximum payout of $668 a week, the Canada Pension Plan has a disability amount of $583.52 at minimum, and Ontario has a $17.20 per hour minimum wage, which rose from $16.55 on October 1st.
National Capital FreeNet will also provide free workshops from their HelpDesk service to help tenants use and understand the network to avoid confusion.
Ottawa Community Housing will enable National Capital FreeNet to expand the project to 10 other community organizations next year.
National Capital FreeNet partnered with HiBoo Network to assist with the project and received funding and technical support from the Canadian Internet Registration Authority (CIRA).
Header image credit: Ottawa Community Housing
Source: Ottawa Community Housing
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