Jagmeet Singh promises to cap costs for cheaper cell, internet prices

Federal NDP leader Jagmeet Singh announced the party’s strategy to make cell phone and internet bills cheaper for Canadians.

The NDP’s plan promises Canadians will save $10 on every cell or internet bill on average with the introduction of price caps, will introduce caps for internet plans and require phone companies to offer unlimited data plans, require companies to have basic and internet service, and create a Telecom Consumers’ Bill of Rights.

NDP mobile pricing and internet plan/ NDP

“We know that Canadians rely on cellphones and access to the internet in their day to day lives. But these essential services are becoming more expensive and less reliable,” said Singh in a statement.

“Canadians pay some of the highest prices for mobile wireless and broadband subscriptions. Telecom companies are making billions of dollars on the backs of Canadian families. It doesn’t have to be this way.”

Canadians pay some of the highest rates in the world for wireless data. A 2018 study from Finnish-based mobile data consulting company, Rewheel, found that for $46 CAD, Canadians are only getting an average of 2 GB of data for their wireless plans.

Wireless customers in Croatia, Austria, Finland, Lithuania, Slovenia, Switzerland, Latvia, Estonia, and Poland, all receive unlimited data plans for the same amount.

“The market has not worked. In fact. the market has been exploited by the five largest telecom companies and so we know it hasn’t worked,” Singh said at a press conference in Ottawa earlier today.

“What we need to do is make decisions that protect people. Right now the decisions have been made to protect these powerful corporations that allow them to exploit Cdns,” says NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh re his party’s motion aimed at making telecom service more affordable. #cdnpoli pic.twitter.com/ACB7o5utky

— CPAC (@CPAC_TV) June 10, 2019

He says other countries, such as the US and Australia, have also introduced measures like price caps to ensure lower data and internet prices.

“What we need to do is make decisions that protect people. Right now the decisions have been made to protect these powerful corporations that allow them to exploit Canadians,” he said.

“We pay the highest in our cellular services fees, we’ve got young people talking about how expensive it is, and the status quo cannot continue.”