Several areas in the MRC of Pontiac still do not have cellular coverage. (Sarah-Jeanne Tremblay/Le Droit)
Nearly four years after the government committed to providing cellular coverage across all of Quebec, some rural regions — including the Pontiac — have still seen no improvement. At this moment, no project has been announced, the province’s Ministry of Cybersecurity and Digital Affairs has confirmed.
A citizen-led petition has been launched calling for improved cellular coverage in underserved areas. The petition is sponsored on the website of the National Assembly of Quebec by Pontiac MNA André Fortin. Among other measures, the petition calls for agreements to be put in place to allow cellular roaming in poorly served regions. It also urges the government to include the Pontiac Regional County Municipality in its network expansion plans.
In 2022, the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government launched the Opération couverture cellulaire to deploy cellular connectivity and high-speed internet in areas that were not yet served. The two programs are separate, according to the Ministry of Cybersecurity and Digital Technology of Quebec.
“We have funding available [for the cellular coverage program], and we issued a call for proposals to telecommunications companies. The problem is that in Pontiac, no companies have stepped forward,” the Ministry of Cybersecurity and Digital Technology of Quebec explained.
“We are just a few months away from the end of the mandate, and we’re saying this issue is a priority. It was presented as a key priority during the last campaign, and three years later, I feel justified in expressing some doubt,” said André Fortin.
At present, the nearest cell tower is located in L’Ange-Gardien. Several villages, including Chapeau, Portage-du-Fort and Ladysmith, do not have cellular service, the MNA said.
“This is the reality in the area — there is no phone service in the centres of some villages,” added André Fortin.
Liberal MNA André Fortin is sponsoring the petition on the website of the National Assembly of Quebec. (Simon Séguin-Bertrand/Archives Le Droit)
Safety Issue
“There is no cellular coverage on certain roads. In the event of an accident, it’s impossible to reach anyone,” said André Fortin.
“We are entitled to safe coverage. This is not a luxury.”
— André Fortin
This concern is echoed by Amy Taylor, a Pontiac resident who initiated the petition.
“Fires, heart attacks, strokes, and machinery or car accidents don’t wait for emergency services to be accessible,” she said. “Despite this, residents have sometimes had to transport injured individuals themselves to locations where there was cellular coverage or a working phone line to call for help.”
She highlighted several incidents in which residents faced significant difficulties reaching emergency services during a crisis.
“People living near the Ontario border often have dispatchers from the other province respond to their calls, causing delays that could have been avoided,” added Taylor.
Satellite?
The prefect of the Pontiac Regional County Municipality, Jane Toller, has raised the possibility of implementing a satellite connection to provide cellular service without the need for a cell tower. She says the option was suggested to her by the Minister of Cybersecurity, Gilles Bélanger, during the recent forum of the Fédération québécoise des municipalités.
Currently, companies like Starlink and Telesat offer cellular service via satellite.
“That would be far more efficient than cell towers, because despite the frequent power outages in the region, service would not be affected,” Toller argues.
The prefect of the Pontiac Regional County Municipality, Jane Toller, has reportedly held discussions with Minister Gilles Bélanger about the possibility of implementing satellite cellular coverage. (Le Droit)
