Municipal leaders across southern Manitoba are welcoming the C-R-T-C's decision that declares broadband Internet access a basic service across the country.

Last month the national regulator ordered the country's Internet providers to expand Internet service and speeds in all rural and isolated areas over the next 10 to 15 years.

Jim Swidersky, reeve for the Rural Municipality of Stuartburn, says southeastern Manitoba has waited this long to get onto a level playing field with the rest of Canada, so they can wait a little longer.

"We've been behind for the past 10 years, and we can easily understand that its going to take some time to build the infrastructure, but at least we have a target and hopefully they can meet their targets."

The C-R-T-C has set new targets for Internet service providers to offer customers in all parts of the country download speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of at least 10 Mbps. Right now, about 82 per cent of Canadian households and businesses already enjoy that level of service and the C-R-T-C wants to see that climb to 90 per cent by 2021 and to 100 per cent within the next decade or so.

The regulator also wants mobile wireless service available to all households and businesses throughout Canada and along all major Canadian roads.

"It's good news when we can put cellular communications and wireless broadband in the same basket," said Swidersky. "It keeps us connected with the world so that southeastern Manitoba can finally be on a level playing field with everybody, whether its public safety, economics, education or just having the basic service, because at the end of the day that's what folks want."

The C-R-T-C will require telecom companies to pay into a fund that is designed to grow to $750 million over five years. The companies will use that money to help pay for the infrastructure needed to extend high-speed internet and mobile wireless services to areas where it is not currently available.

"Governments keep telling us to be forward thinking in our development and this decision will help us move in that direction," said Swidersky.