Government of Canada continues research and targeted engagement on implementation models for a potential Public Safety Broadband Network

OTTAWA, May 19, 2017 /CNW/ - The safety and security of Canadians is very important to the Government of Canada. Today, the Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness, and the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, announced a commitment of $3 million in 2017-18 to engage diverse stakeholders and produce evidence-based analysis on implementation models for a potential Public Safety Broadband Network (PSBN).

New technology offers the potential to improve the safety and security of Canadians, including through improved communications infrastructure for first responders and governments.

This engagement and analysis will provide the opportunity to better understand the potential benefits of a Public Safety Broadband Network, and will support decision making moving forward.

Quotes

"Our first responders consistently go above and beyond to protect the safety and security of all Canadians. This investment in evidence-based analysis and stakeholder engagement on implementation models for a potential Public Safety Broadband Network reflects our commitment to ensuring that the decisions we take going forward to support these critical operations are both affordable and effective."

- The Honourable Ralph Goodale, Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness

"First responders face several communications challenges during a crisis. By investing in evidence-based analysis and engagng with diverse stakeholders, we are ensuring that we assess possible options for the potential implementation of a Public Safety Broadband Network. This investment will help us to learn more about the views and experiences of provinces, territories, municipalities industry and the public safety community, and the challenges they face in keeping Canadians safe."

- The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

Quick Facts

• Public Safety Broadband Networks are secure high-speed wireless data communications networks. These can be used by emergency responders and public safety personnel to communicate with each other in emergency situations and during day-to-day operations, and hold the potential to improve the effectiveness and safety of first responders and the public safety community.
  

• The Government of Canada will be engaging a range of stakeholder groups, including  provincial, territorial and municipal governments, first responders, industry (e.g., commercial carriers, telecommunications sector, information and communications technology sector), critical infrastructure operators, representatives from small and remote communities, Indigenous community representatives, academia and international public safety counterparts.
  

• The targeted engagement will focus on common or unique elements that would need to be considered for a variety of potential implementation models, such as existing capabilities and innovative solutions, technical/security requirements, public safety user requirements, infrastructure, spectrum licensing conditions and efficient use of spectrum, governance, costs, and revenue sources.
  

• In 2012, the Government of Canada allocated 10 MHz of the 700 MHz spectrum for the public safety community. It announced the intention to allocate an additional 10MHz of the spectrum in 2015.
  

• A Federal PSBN Task Team comprised of representatives from Public Safety Canada, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), and Defence Research and Development Canada's Centre for Security Science (DRDC CSS), has been created to advance federal work on this file. This multi-disciplinary Task Team will help to ensure that all relevant stakeholders are engaged and that future decisions around potential PSBN options are evidence-based.

Associated Links

Follow Public Safety Canada (@Safety_Canada) on Twitter.

For more information, please visit the website www.publicsafety.gc.ca.

SOURCE Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Canada

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