Ecopia AI announced today that it was awarded a contract by the Government of Canada to provide next-generation mapping data in support of the deployment of high-speed Internet across rural Canada.
With a large percentage of the population working from home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the critical need for high-speed Internet connectivity across the country has been highlighted – and a deep digital divide has been revealed. Despite significant public and private investments, more than half of rural communities still don’t have access to broadband Internet as per the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). A key component of planning and deploying broadband infrastructure is the availability of accurate, comprehensive, and up-to-date mapping data.
As part of this engagement, Ecopia will leverage its AI-based mapping systems to mine a variety of geospatial datasets and identify broadband serviceable locations across rural Canada – including many locations in remote and indigenous communities. This data will be used to identify connectivity gaps and accelerate the deployment of broadband infrastructure across the country. The map is currently in production and will be delivered by March 2022.
“High-speed Internet is essential to ensure all Canadians can participate in the digital economy, and Canadians in rural and remote communities have long had less access to high-speed Internet than those living in urban areas. More precise geospatial data will help us plan and build the telecommunications infrastructure required to address this connectivity gap,” said the Honorable Gudie Hutchings, Minister for Rural Economic Development. “Ecopia’s innovative approach to analyzing geospatial data is helping us better understand the precise location of Canadian households and exactly what will be needed to meet our goal of connecting 98% of Canadians by 2026, and all Canadians by 2030.”
“Ecopia AI is very proud to support this initiative through the use of our AI-based mapping systems” said Jon Lipinski, Co-Founder and President of Ecopia. “Ecopia’s mission is to create a digital representation of the real world to drive enhanced decision-making – in this case, we are delivering foundational information which will support an effort of national importance – bridging the digital divide across Canada.”
