In March 1997, Prince Edward Island became the first
and only Canadian province to have province-wide access
to a high-speed network capable of carrying data, audio,
graphics, and video at a speed 5,500 times the industry
norm. This Provincial Broadband Network will give Prince
Edward Island one of the best information technology
infrastructure systems on the continent. The network
paves the way for business opportunities such as
telecommuting and full-motion video-conferencing from
anywhere in the province. There is also great potential
for community services through integrated health services
with Island-wide information management.
The Community Access Program (CAP) establishes Internet
access sites in communities across the province. Through
the partnership between the federal and provincial
governments and community-based organizations, CAP sites
are a key component in connecting rural communities to
the “information superhighway,” thus educating
citizens, creating jobs, and developing communities. By
1999, the Community Access Program had 46 designated
sites across the Island, twenty of which are in schools
and ten in public libraries.
The Knowledge Economy Partnership is a unique
collaboration between federal and provincial government
departments with Island post-secondary institutions. The
Partnership mission is to share information, resources
and expertise to take advantage of the expanding
opportunities created by the explosion of
information-based industries.
The Information Technologies Association of Prince Edward
Island (ITAP, incorporated in 1997) and its members are
at the forefront of the information technology industry
in the province. ITAP seeks to provide leadership on
issues affecting the growth and prosperity of the
“IT” and telecommunications industry in Prince
Edward Island. There are approximately 60 members in the
association and many offer training in computer use and
programming. Other members offer information management
services for businesses and organizations, while still
others are involved in website design for electronic
commerce.
Prince Edward Island’s Acadian community is taking
advantage of information technology in an exciting way:
as a tool for community and cultural development. The
Francophone Telecommunity Project, sponsored by the
Société Educative de l’I.P.E. links all Acadian
and Francophone areas of the Island using NICT (New
Information and Communications Technologies) that provide
access to the internet and to data, information, and
knowledge banks that are otherwise difficult to access in
rural communities. This network facilitates distance
education and training in French with post-secondary and
professional programs. Other priorities include the
development of French multimedia products that will
provide access to a previously untapped international
market and the improvement of the quality and quantity of
French-language government programs and services
available to Island Acadians and Francophones.
The growth of information technology on Prince Edward
Island is creating exciting new opportunities for culture
and economy in the province. Creative
production—music, visual art, and
storytelling—provides opportunities for cultural
preservation and development. Communication within and
between communities, as the Acadian telecommunity and the
Prince Edward Island government’s on-line
information kiosk are a testimony to the enormous
potential for this medium.
