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As economic development week comes to a close, we are excited to announce the launch of Connected Saskatchewan.

The demand for faster, higher broadband bandwidth is growing exponentially every year.  Canada's standard of 50/10 mbps was last considered a top speed in the United States in 2009, over ten years ago. Now 80% of America has access to 1GB or higher fiber-rich networks and with it speeds 20 to 200 times faster than the Canadian standard. Put another way, there has been a 12,400% increase in top available internet speed in the last ten years!

Although connectivity is not a core Municipal/First Nation service, it is becoming well accepted as the "fourth utility".  We encourage governments at a local/regional level to consider the role they can play in the digital future of their communities. 

In order for leaders to make informed broadband-related decisions, action oriented connectivity plans with strong links to future needs and priorites is recomended.

To assist in planning, the first component of Connected Saskatchewan is a Toolkit. Volume 1 is now online at www.connectedsask.ca and consists of:

• A Digital Readiness Handbook
• Technology Backgrounder
• Community Self-Assessment Planning Tool

Volumes 2 and 3 will be forthcoming this summer and focus on Digital Adoption and Digital Transformation.

Even if your community already has access to a mininum standard of broadband, this resource may prove useful in fostering a conversation about what next steps can be taken to improve existing connectivity.

A typical family working from home, with a SMART TV and multiple screens are now at 300 mbps, when it is available. That is 6 times the mininum 50 mbps standard. Many farms, businesses and institutions need 20 times the current minimum standard.

The payback on a future focused plan to enhance connectivity is mult-faceted and will result in direct returns within sectors such as health, education, agriculture, tourism and industry in general. In other words - the overall socio-economic health and sustainability of your community or region.

Soon, a 10GB platform will become the new standard. Imagine 10GB broadband technology that freely facilitates innovation. Kids could be doing their homework via virtual reality, entrepreneurs can develop new, different software products from anywhere in the province and most importantly, unleash innovation to developing new markets, new services, new products that until now we have either not considered or deemed impossible.

Our ability to leverage and grow what we have and what we do now in business, in healthcare, in education, in improving our wellbeing, is only limited by our imagination.

SEDA is here to support our members in advancing connectivity planning. We look forward to engaging with strategic partners in enhancing digital competencies and opening the door for digital transformation across the province.