The Commons industry committee wants the federal government to focus on ensuring farmers and other rural businesses receive the Internet service they need to be competitive.In a report approved by the three parties in the Commons, the committee made 12 recommendations to achieve that goal with the focus on the last mile of connection between users and suppliers, said Dan Ruimy, committee chairman.“Adequate Internet services are of paramount importance to the economic and social welfare of all communities,” he said. “However, some communities, especially in rural and remote areas, still struggle to access these services.”The $500 million federal Connect to Innovate program has made progress but much remains to be done, he said. When the committee launched its study last fall, it became quickly obvious “the focus of this study had to be narrowed to an investigation of last-mile access.”Ron Bonnett, President of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture, which has pushed for improved for improved rural broadband, welcomed the focus on last mile connectivity. “We are especially encouraged by the committee's recommendation for a comprehensive rural broadband strategy, something CFA has advocated for.“We strongly support the recent investment of $500 million into broadband connectivity. However, much of this investment is aimed at connectivity in population centres. This overlooks the fact that many farmers reside in remote areas, outside of population centres. For that reason, further action on last-mile connectivity is of the utmost importance to Canada's agricultural sector.”In 2016, the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) declared that broadband Internet amounted to an essential service and adopted minimal performance standards across Canada, the report said. It set a standard of 50 megabit per second download and 10 megabit per second upload.“However, the evidence presented to the committee by a variety of stakeholders shows that the digital divide remains prominent in Canada, and that the CRTC targets may not be appropriate to all rural and remote areas,” the committee report said.A major challenge is to get existing Internet service providers to improve “broadband Internet access in rural and remote areas face many challenges,” the report said. “Indeed, licensed incumbents tend to only invest in high density areas that are more economically profitable.“However, small providers, non-profit providers or non-incumbent providers could deploy broadband Internet in rural and remote areas in an economically profitable manner should the government adapt the regulatory framework to their means, especially with regards to spectrum and network management, along with funding allocation.”The government should “consider ways to increase the accessibility of funding programs for small providers, non-profit providers and non-incumbent providers, and consider the spectrum allocation process for the purpose of broadband deployment,” the report saidIt also wants the Innovation department to “develop a comprehensive rural broadband strategy in collaboration with key stakeholders.”Liberal, Conservative and NDP MPs participated in a news conference to mark the report's launch.The idea for the rural broadband study came from Alberta Conservative MP Earl Dreeshen. He said that better service is important to farmers and rural health services. “It would be a key step toward rural residents have access to the digital economy.”Rural Canada has different needs than urban areas, he said. “The technology is constantly evolving and the government needs to keep opportunities to improve the service.”None of the MPs would even guess at how much of rural Canada gets full and suitable broadband service. The CRTC said in 2016 that 18 per cent of Canadians, mostly rural and remote residents, did have access to its standard for acceptable services. Under current programs, it could take another 10 to 15 years to achieve parity.Another finding by the CRTC that the committee wants addressed is the affordability of Internet services and a lack of skills in using them.Funding under the $500 million Connect to Innovate ended a year with projects submissions totalling $4.4 billion, the report noted. Currently the Innovation department has allocated funds to 101 projects totalling $262.9 million. More projects will receive money this year.“Despite these investments, there remains a substantial difference in broadband service availability between urban areas, on the one hand, and rural and remote areas,” the report said. “By preventing Canadians in rural and remote areas from participating in the digital economy, this 'digital divide' exacerbates the challenges they already face.“In many rural communities, the available speeds are so low that they only allow for a limited number of uses.”Alex Binkley is a freelance journalist and writes for domestic and international publications about agriculture, food and transportation issues. He's also the author of two science fiction novels with more in the works.