City signs deal with Rogers for internet, TV and phone access for low income Calgarians

The City of Calgary has signed a one-year agreement with Rogers Communications that gives thousands of people in the city's Fair Entry program access to lower cost internet, TV and phone services.

Rogers has agreed that if clients are qualified for the city's Fair Entry discounts, they don't have to meet any further screening requirements for its Connected for Success services.

Fair Entry is a city program that provides discounted rates for such things as recreation facilities, transit passes, property tax assistance and parking permits. Eligibility is based on income.

This is the first deal of its kind for the city's Fair Entry program with a private sector company, the city says.

Updated numbers released by the city Tuesday stated there are currently 97,000 Calgarians taking part in the program.

The team leader with the city's community strategies, Raynell McDonough, said a lack of internet and technology access can be a barrier for lower-income people, and that the new agreement is a matter of equity.

"We recognize that one of the most important things that created the barrier or could remove a barrier for Calgarians participating in public life and receiving services from the city was access to reliable and affordable home internet," said McDonough.

No cost to city

Under the terms of the arrangement, no money is changing hands between the city and Rogers.

McDonough said it also doesn't bind the city to recommending Rogers and there is no obligation on Fair Entry clients to sign up for Rogers' services.

"We are open to looking at partnerships with other services, whether they be public or private services, that might be of benefit to Calgarians that are eligible through the Fair Entry program," she said.

If other communications companies are interested in a similar arrangement, McDonough said the city would be open to exploring those possibilities.

Earlier this year, the city said there would be a number of benefits connected with this kind of arrangement.

Those benefits included:

• Aligning to the city's Digital Equity Strategy goal of connecting more people to the internet.
• Benefiting low-income Calgarians; quality of life improvement.
• Leveraging more fee-reduced services for the Fair Entry program.
• Keeping eligibility screening consistent.
• Streamlining requirements to minimize administrative burden.
• Raising awareness among clients of available subsidies.

Rogers announced its Connected for Success wireless program program last week.

It said up to 2.5 million Canadians are eligible for the program's lower rates.

That would include people on provincial income support or disability benefits, seniors on the federal Guaranteed Income Supplement program, tenants in non-profit housing and families receiving the maximum Canada Child Benefit.