‘I wanted to do a one-two punch and get some more accurate information and push the telecom companies to provide more transparency in their maps, and then also work to plug some of those gaps,’ says Conservative MP Andrew Lawton who recently launched the Cellular Connectivity Project. / **ANDREWLAWTONMP.CA** **PHOTO**

Poor cellular coverage is emerging as a growing concern for rural Canadians, with MPs, communities and telecommunications companies facing pressure to improve service in areas where residents can still lose connectivity entirely.

Conservative MP Andrew Lawton, who represents the largely agricultural riding of Elgin—St. Thomas—London South in southwestern Ontario, has experienced the problem firsthand. While travelling between communities such as Sparta and Shedden, Lawton said he regularly loses service, making it difficult to communicate with constituents and carry out his work. Residents in his riding have also raised numerous complaints about unreliable coverage.

In response, Lawton launched the Cellular Connectivity Project, a crowd-sourced initiative intended to identify cellular dead zones and create a more accurate picture of coverage gaps, The Hill Times reported. Although he expected the project to attract rural residents primarily, Lawton said submissions have also identified problems near population centres such as London and St. Thomas.

“This isn’t just a rural issue,” he told The Hill Times.

The project will collect information for two months before sharing the data with telecommunications providers, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). Lawton said Rogers and Bell have indicated they will use the information to help identify locations where towers may require repairs or new construction.

MPs from different parties have also raised concerns about inadequate cellular service in rural and remote communities across Canada. Citizen petitions have highlighted problems in areas including rural Nova Scotia, Quebec and Alberta.

The CRTC currently reports that 99.5 per cent of Canadian residents have access to mobile services, based largely on information provided by telecom companies. However, the regulator acknowledges that many Canadians report significant coverage gaps.

Liberal MP Marianne Dandurand has introduced legislation seeking more accurate and standardized mobile coverage data. Her bill has received support from MPs across several parties and is set to receive further consideration by the House Industry Committee.

For rural Canadians, the debate is increasingly tied to emergency communications, economic opportunities and reliable access to essential services. Lawton argued that better data is a necessary first step toward closing the gaps.

“The big problem is beyond the lack of coverage across the area,” Lawton said. “If you look at the coverage maps published by the telecom companies, you wouldn’t know there are any dead zones. ... So, I wanted to do a one-two punch and get some more accurate information and push the telecom companies to provide more transparency in their maps, and then also work to plug some of those gaps.”