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On Wednesday, Canada’s telecommunications regulator said that access to high-speed Internet is an essential service that everyone is entitled to receive while announcing a $750 million fund that will bring all residents at least 50 megabits per second.
"Access to broadband Internet service is vital and a basic telecommunication service all Canadians are entitled to receive," CRTC chairman Jean-Pierre Blais said at a news conference.
"High quality and reliable digital connectivity is essential for the quality of life of Canadians and Canada's economic prosperity.”
Internet addicts receive treatment in BeijingShow all 18 1 /18Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing BEIJING - JULY 6: A young Chinese internet addict receives an electroencephalogram check at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital July 6, 2005 in Beijing, China. The clinic, the country's first government-approved facility geared toward curing Internet addicts, has treated more than 300 addicts since opening last October. A dozen nurses and 11 doctors care for the patients, mostly youths aged 14 to 24 who have lost sleep, weight and friends after countless hours in front of the computer, often playing video games with others online. Doctors use a combination of therapy sessions, medication, acupuncture and sports like swimming and basketball to ease patients back into normal lives. The patients usually stay 10 to 15 days, at $48 a day - a high price in China, where the average city dweller's weekly income is just $20. According to government figures, China has the world's second-largest online population - 94 million - after the United States.
Cancan Chu/Getty
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing A young Chinese internet addict sits on his bed near artificial flowers at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital July 6, 2005 in Beijing, China. The clinic, the country's first government-approved facility geared toward curing Internet addicts, has treated more than 300 addicts since opening last October. A dozen nurses and 11 doctors care for the patients, mostly youths aged 14 to 24 who have lost sleep, weight and friends after countless hours in front of the computer, often playing video games with others online. Doctors use a combination of therapy sessions, medication, acupuncture and sports like swimming and basketball to ease patients back into normal lives. The patients usually stay 10 to 15 days, at $48 a day - a high price in China, where the average city dweller's weekly income is just $20. According to government figures, China has the world's second-largest online population - 94 million - after the United States.
Cancan Chu/Getty
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing A new student (front) practices sits-up while other students take part in a close-order drill at the Qide Education Center in Beijing February 26, 2014. The Qide Education Center is a military-style boot camp which offers treatment for internet addiction. As growing numbers of young people in China immerse themselves in the cyber world, spending hours playing games online, worried parents are increasingly turning to boot camps to crush addiction. Military-style boot camps, designed to wean young people off their addiction to the internet, number as many as 250 in China alone.
Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing Wang (L), who was addicted to internet gaming, helps clean a bathroom in his dormitory at the Qide Education Center in Beijing February 19, 2014. The Qide Education Center is a military-style boot camp which offers treatment for internet addiction. As growing numbers of young people in China immerse themselves in the cyber world, spending hours playing games online, worried parents are increasingly turning to boot camps to crush addiction. Military-style boot camps, designed to wean young people off their addiction to the internet, number as many as 250 in China alone. Picture taken February 19, 2014.
Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing An ex-military instructor (front) and students do push-ups during a military-style close-order drill class at the Qide Education Center in Beijing February 19, 2014. The Qide Education Center is a military-style boot camp which offers treatment for internet addiction. As growing numbers of young people in China immerse themselves in the cyber world, spending hours playing games online, worried parents are increasingly turning to boot camps to crush addiction. Military-style boot camps, designed to wean young people off their addiction to the internet, number as many as 250 in China alone.
Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing BEIJING - JULY 6: A young Chinese internet addict receives an electroencephalogram check at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital July 6, 2005 in Beijing, China. The clinic, the country's first government-approved facility geared toward curing Internet addicts, has treated more than 300 addicts since opening last October. A dozen nurses and 11 doctors care for the patients, mostly youths aged 14 to 24 who have lost sleep, weight and friends after countless hours in front of the computer, often playing video games with others online. Doctors use a combination of therapy sessions, medication, acupuncture and sports like swimming and basketball to ease patients back into normal lives. The patients usually stay 10 to 15 days, at $48 a day - a high price in China, where the average city dweller's weekly income is just $20. According to government figures, China has the world's second-largest online population - 94 million - after the United States.
Cancan Chu/Getty
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing BEIJING - JULY 6: A young Chinese internet addict receives an electroencephalogram check at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital July 6, 2005 in Beijing, China. The clinic, the country's first government-approved facility geared toward curing Internet addicts, has treated more than 300 addicts since opening last October. A dozen nurses and 11 doctors care for the patients, mostly youths aged 14 to 24 who have lost sleep, weight and friends after countless hours in front of the computer, often playing video games with others online. Doctors use a combination of therapy sessions, medication, acupuncture and sports like swimming and basketball to ease patients back into normal lives. The patients usually stay 10 to 15 days, at $48 a day - a high price in China, where the average city dweller's weekly income is just $20. According to government figures, China has the world's second-largest online population - 94 million - after the United States.
Cancan Chu/Getty
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing BEIJING - JULY 6: A young Chinese internet addict receives electric shock treatment in his room at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital July 6, 2005 in Beijing, China. The clinic, the country's first government-approved facility geared toward curing Internet addicts, has treated more than 300 addicts since opening last October. A dozen nurses and 11 doctors care for the patients, mostly youths aged 14 to 24 who have lost sleep, weight and friends after countless hours in front of the computer, often playing video games with others online. Doctors use a combination of therapy sessions, medication, acupuncture and sports like swimming and basketball to ease patients back into normal lives. The patients usually stay 10 to 15 days, at $48 a day - a high price in China, where the average city dweller's weekly income is just $20. According to government figures, China has the world's second-largest online population - 94 million - after the United States.
Cancan Chu/Getty
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing BEIJING - JULY 6: A young Chinese internet addict watches television as he receives an intravenous drip in his room at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital July 6, 2005 in Beijing, China. The clinic, the country's first government-approved facility geared toward curing Internet addicts, has treated more than 300 addicts since opening last October. A dozen nurses and 11 doctors care for the patients, mostly youths aged 14 to 24 who have lost sleep, weight and friends after countless hours in front of the computer, often playing video games with others online. Doctors use a combination of therapy sessions, medication, acupuncture and sports like swimming and basketball to ease patients back into normal lives. The patients usually stay 10 to 15 days, at $48 a day - a high price in China, where the average city dweller's weekly income is just $20.
Cancan Chu/Getty
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing BEIJING - JULY 6: A young Chinese internet addict watches television as he receives an intravenous drip in his room at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital July 6, 2005 in Beijing, China. The clinic, the country's first government-approved facility geared toward curing Internet addicts, has treated more than 300 addicts since opening last October. A dozen nurses and 11 doctors care for the patients, mostly youths aged 14 to 24 who have lost sleep, weight and friends after countless hours in front of the computer, often playing video games with others online. Doctors use a combination of therapy sessions, medication, acupuncture and sports like swimming and basketball to ease patients back into normal lives. The patients usually stay 10 to 15 days, at $48 a day - a high price in China, where the average city dweller's weekly income is just $20. According to government figures, China has the world's second-largest online population - 94 million - after the United States.
Cancan Chu/Getty
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing A young Chinese internet addict opens the door of her room at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital July 6, 2005 in Beijing, China. The clinic, the country's first government-approved facility geared toward curing Internet addicts, has treated more than 300 addicts since opening last October. A dozen nurses and 11 doctors care for the patients, mostly youths aged 14 to 24 who have lost sleep, weight and friends after countless hours in front of the computer, often playing video games with others online. Doctors use a combination of therapy sessions, medication, acupuncture and sports like swimming and basketball to ease patients back into normal lives. The patients usually stay 10 to 15 days, at $48 a day - a high price in China, where the average city dweller's weekly income is just $20.
Cancan Chu/Getty
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing A Chinese 'internet addict' reads a book inside his room at a military hospital in Beijing June 22, 2005. A growing number of youth are getting addicted to the Internet as it continues to proliferate in China. China represents the world's second-largest Internet market with 94 million users at the end of 2004, a number expected to rise to 134 million by the end of this year, according to official data.
Reuters/Claro Cortes
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing A student stands in front of a gate at his dormitory at the Qide Education Center in Beijing February 19, 2014. The Qide Education Center is a military-style boot camp which offers treatment for internet addiction. As growing numbers of young people in China immerse themselves in the cyber world, spending hours playing games online, worried parents are increasingly turning to boot camps to crush addiction. Military-style boot camps, designed to wean young people off their addiction to the internet, number as many as 250 in China alone.
Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing A teacher talks to an instructor who is an ex-soldier through a window in a door while pupils take part in military-style close-order drill class at the Qide Education Center in Beijing February 19, 2014. The Qide Education Center is a military-style boot camp which offers treatment for internet addiction. As growing numbers of young people in China immerse themselves in the cyber world, spending hours playing games online, worried parents are increasingly turning to boot camps to crush addiction. Military-style boot camps, designed to wean young people off their addiction to the internet, number as many as 250 in China alone. Picture taken February 19, 2014.
Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing An ex-military instructor teaches students during their military-style close-order drill class at the Qide Education Center in Beijing February 19, 2014. The Qide Education Center is a military-style boot camp which offers treatment for internet addiction. As growing numbers of young people in China immerse themselves in the cyber world, spending hours playing games online, worried parents are increasingly turning to boot camps to crush addiction. Military-style boot camps, designed to wean young people off their addiction to the internet, number as many as 250 in China alone. Picture taken February 19, 2014.
Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing Students laugh as they receive a group punishment during a military-style close-order drill class at the Qide Education Center in Beijing February 19, 2014. The Qide Education Center is a military-style boot camp which offers treatment for internet addiction. As growing numbers of young people in China immerse themselves in the cyber world, spending hours playing games online, worried parents are increasingly turning to boot camps to crush addiction. Military-style boot camps, designed to wean young people off their addiction to the internet, number as many as 250 in China alone. Picture taken February 19, 2014.
Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing An instructor who is an ex-soldier talks to female students in their dormitory at the Qide Education Center in Beijing June 10, 2014. The Qide Education Center is a military-style boot camp which offers treatment for internet addiction. As growing numbers of young people in China immerse themselves in the cyber world, spending hours playing games online, worried parents are increasingly turning to boot camps to crush addiction. Military-style boot camps, designed to wean young people off their addiction to the internet, number as many as 250 in China alone.
Reuters/Kim Kyung-Hoon
Internet addicts receive treatment in Beijing BEIJING - JULY 6: Young Chinese internet addicts learn how to play a billiards game at the Beijing Military Region Central Hospital July 6, 2005 in Beijing, China. The clinic, the country's first government-approved facility geared toward curing Internet addicts, has treated more than 300 addicts since opening last October. A dozen nurses and 11 doctors care for the patients, mostly youths aged 14 to 24 who have lost sleep, weight and friends after countless hours in front of the computer, often playing video games with others online. Doctors use a combination of therapy sessions, medication, acupuncture and sports like swimming and basketball to ease patients back into normal lives. The patients usually stay 10 to 15 days, at $48 a day - a high price in China, where the average city dweller's weekly income is just $20. According to government figures, China has the world's second-largest online population - 94 million - after the United States.
Cancan Chu/Getty
The commission also ordered telecom services to provide installment plans to residents within six months. AFP reports that most of Canada’s 12 million households are already connected to broadband access while 18 percent of residents use dial-up or slower-speed access to the Internet. Blais argues that low-speed Internet hinders their ability to participate in the digital economy.
The $750 million fund will be distributed over five years and the CRTC wants 90 percent of Canadian residents to have access to high-speed Internet by 2021.