A Canadian Telecom Is Limiting a Free WiFi Program For Low-Income Families

Canadian telecoms are refusing to offer more data for a program that gives digitally disenfranchised people a lifeline when they need it.

“Unlimited data plans aren’t really available in Canada,” said Sara Tavakolian, the project lead on the Toronto Public Libraries’ WiFi program. “Our goal was to get an unlimited data plan, but we weren’t given any option.” “Hopefully the publicity about this, and the support from the city and Google, will allow us to negotiate a more affordable and flexible data plan going forward,” said Tavakolian. Library patrons may borrow devices for up to six months, but if they go over the allotted 10 gigabytes, the device automatically shuts off until the first of the next month. To give you an idea of how little data per month that is, even Bell's most basic home internet plan offers 75 gigabytes of usage.