As governments urge people to stay connected online during the&nbsp;COVID-19 pandemic&nbsp;—&nbsp;rather than in person&nbsp;— low-income Ottawans like Chris Prefontaine don't have&nbsp;that luxury.

Prefontaine, 37, is stuck in a small Caldwell Avenue apartment with a&nbsp;blocked-off balcony, and since he can't afford&nbsp;internet, he has little in way of home entertainment.

Nor has it been easy to stay in touch with loved ones, Prefontaine&nbsp;said.&nbsp;

'Internet is the only lifeline they have': Canada needs to confront 'digital divide' amid COVID-19 crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing Canada to confront many of its hidden social inequalities, one of these being unequal access to the internet, an internet freedom advocate says. 

A laptop is pictured as a high school student takes a test online at her home in Chisseaux near Tours on March 27, 2020, on the eleventh day of a lockdown in France to stop the spread of the novel coronavirus COVID-19. (Photo by Alain JOCARD / AFP) (Photo by ALAIN JOCARD/AFP via Getty Images)

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The COVID-19 pandemic is forcing Canada to confront the problem of unequal access to the internet, executive director of OpenMedia Laura Tribe says. 

Bell, TekSavvy customers shocked by price hikes during COVID-19 pandemic

Some Bell and TekSavvy customers say they were shocked to learn they're facing a price hike in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Bell says the increases were set in motion before the pandemic hit. TekSavvy says it had no choice due to court battles that involve Bell and the other big telcos.

Kelsey Shaffer of Kakabeka Falls, Ont. said she was shocked to receive a Virgin Mobile phone bill with a price increase during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Kelsey Shaffer of Kakabeka Falls, Ont. Bell bill

Kelsey Shaffer of Kakabeka Falls, Ont., says receiving a price hike on her phone bill during the pandemic was 'an extra slap in the face.'

"I've been having a rough time, being [unable]&nbsp;to contact&nbsp;family," said Prefontaine, adding he can't afford a phone, either.

"They worry about me, and I worry about them. I have to sometimes ask friends in my building if I can use their wi-fi to contact people because I have no other way of doing that."

Many of the provisions of US-Mexico-Canada Agreement could go into effect late next year.

Online hate

Vanier resident Ray Noyes also says he can't afford the internet, and feels left out by officials' current messaging.

A recent tweet from Ottawa Public Health, for instance, says that virtually connecting with others is one of the keys to physical distancing.

Hey parents, many of you have been home with your kids throughout all of this. We know it's not easy &amp; it's often exhausting, and we thank you for it. We want to help with our Resources for Parents During <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/COVID19?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#COVID19</a> webpage: <a href="https://t.co/KR4K891iCo">https://t.co/KR4K891iCo</a> <a href="https://t.co/sfRtzDnuGH">pic.twitter.com/sfRtzDnuGH</a>

"What I often hear on the radio is how important it is for people who are isolated to stay connected and get online and have Zoom and virtual parties," said Noyes.

"That's all out of my reach. I just can't have that, and it's all very frustrating."

Noyes has been working with ACORN Canada, which advocates for low-and-moderate-income families, to pressure the federal government to deem internet access a basic right for all Canadians,&nbsp;regardless of how much they make.

Noyes&nbsp;lives alone&nbsp;in a high-rise apartment building and feels that being able to go online&nbsp;would help him cope with&nbsp;bouts of depression.

"I'm sure I would be less lonely if I had access to the things most people take for granted these days," he said.

A lack of internet access has made it difficult for Chris Prefontaine to keep in touch with friends and family during the pandemic.

What it's like without internet during the COVID-19 pandemic

'Out of my reach'

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