Bandwidth

In the face of the COVID-19 pandemic, Canadians have relied on digital networks to meet their essential needs, stay close to family and friends, work from home, and keep businesses of all sizes operating. Host Allan Gregg speaks to experts about what we need to do to ensure that all Canadians have the connectivity they need to embrace the challenges and opportunities of the future. A Shaw Communications podcast Produced by The Walrus Lab        

Amber MacArthur, Canadian author, speaker, and television personality, and president of Amber Mac Media, joins host Allan Gregg on the first episode of Bandwidth. They discuss the important role digital connectivity has played for Canadians in the face of the coronavirus pandemic, and what future development is needed so that all Canadians have the connectivity they need to embrace the challenges and opportunities of the future. Bandwidth is a five-part podcast series from Shaw Communications. It is produced by The Walrus Lab.

Goldy Hyder, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Business Council of Canada joins host Allan Gregg on the second episode of Bandwidth. They discuss policy-making during times of crisis, how Canadian businesses have adapted during the coronavirus pandemic, and what must be done to keep the Canada competitive in the global economy. Bandwidth is a five-part podcast series from Shaw Communications. It is produced by The Walrus Lab.

Denise Williams, Chief Executive Officer of the First Nations Technology Council joins host Allan Gregg on the third episode of Bandwidth. They discuss the challenges Indigenous rural and remote communities face in accessing internet technology, how this issue has magnified the social effects of the coronavirus pandemic, and what must be done to get Indigenous rural and remote communities connected. Bandwidth is a five-part podcast series from Shaw Communications. It is produced by The Walrus Lab.

Keith Halliday, Director of the Boston Consulting Group's Centre for Canada's Future, joins host Allan Gregg on the fourth episode of Bandwidth. They discuss the tension policymakers face between encouraging investment in network infrastructure and keeping prices affordable for consumers, and some case studies of how this issue has been addressed internationally. Bandwidth is a five-part podcast series from Shaw Communications. It is produced by The Walrus Lab.

Grant Bishop, Associate Director of Research at C.D. Howe Institute, and Damian Poltz, Vice President, Technology Strategy & Networks at Shaw Communications, join host Allan Gregg on the fifth episode of Bandwidth. They discuss the discuss the issue of mandatory access, and the need for ongoing network investment. Bandwidth is a five-part podcast series from Shaw Communications. It is produced by The Walrus Lab.

We're back with a second season of Bandwidth -- a podcast about the power of connectivity. In season two, host Takara Small explores how connectivity helps Canadians embrace the challenges and opportunities of the future.

It's one year into the pandemic. How have people been using the internet differently? How does infrastructure allow for this connectivity? And what does the future have in store? In this episode, you'll hear some of the latest stats about internet usage from Damian Poltz, Senior VP of Wireline Technology and Strategy from Shaw Communications.  Then, we bring back Amber Mac to pick up from where we left off in Season 1; she provides an update about the state of affairs and sets up the conversations that are to come in Season 2.

The pandemic has led to a massive increase in the number of Canadians working from home. How did internet connectivity support this shift? How are organizations preparing to return to work? What is the impact on skills needed for jobs in the future? We speak with Pedro Barata, Executive Director of the Future Skills Centre and Kelly Schmitt, CEO of Benevity.  

Simply put: without the internet, the economy would fall apart. In this episode we talk to Kenneth Carlaw, Economics Professor at University of British Columbia and Shuman Ghosemajumder, Global Head of Artificial Intelligence at F5. They explain how the internet impacts investing, shopping and the circulation of currency. They also delve into income disparity in Canada, gaps in accessibility and how other countries are approaching these issues. 

Approaches to teaching have had to change because of the pandemic. How has education changed as a result of the prevalence of online learning? What does the future of education look like? What are some lessons we have learned about integrated connectivity and its place in education? What are the right applications? This episode will answer all these questions and more. Hear from Karen Sorbera, who has 20 years of experience as an educator in Ontario, and Alice Lee, Senior Vice President of K-12 Implementation for EVERFI.

By the nature of their work, entrepreneurs have to constantly pivot as they build and grow their businesses. During the pandemic, pivoting became a survival instinct. How have small businesses used the internet and taken advantage of its reliability to stay afloat? What role does reliable and strong connectivity play in the rise of the gig economy? Can you even create a startup without access to high speed internet? We're joined by Troy Burtch, Marketing Communications Manager for Great Lakes Brewery and Ian Black, Managing Director of Shopify Canada to discuss the challenges and triumphs of small business owners and what the future holds for them.

It's being called the “cyber pandemic.” With a rapid increase in online activity, cybersecurity has become more important than ever. How have fraud practices evolved? And what does that mean for recovery / confidence in Canadians? We speak with two of Canada's top cybersecurity experts, James Armstrong, Senior Vice President and Chief Security Officer of Shaw Communications and Andre Bouche, Chief Information Security Officer at the National Bank of Canada, about the surge in online activity and security for both individuals and businesses.  

Charities were hit especially hard when society shut down because of COVID-19. In an instant, they were faced with a sharp decline in monetary support and a sharp uptick in community need for their services. This episode explores what charities have had to do to modernize and digitize their models and recast their approach from fundraising to service delivery. We speak with Katie German, Director of Advocacy and Programs for FoodShare as well as Jennifer Scott, a gig worker who has been impacted by these challenges first-hand.

During the pandemic we have seen governments accelerate the delivery of programs through the internet, everything from applying for CERB to signing up for vaccines. Not only were services offered, there were online courts, adjudication, committee of adjustment etc. What are the implications as governments move to more online service delivery? We're joined by Amanda Clarke, Associate Professor at Carleton University School of Public Policy and Administration and Hillary Hartley, Ontario's Chief Digital and Data Officer and Deputy Minister.

The pandemic has shown us how important having access to quality connections is, and why connecting more Canadians has never been more important. In this episode we speak with two mayors – one from a large city, Mayor Lyn Hall of Prince George, BC and one from a small town, Mayor George Bridge of Minto, ON – about the necessity of the internet, the impact of the pandemic, collaborations that have emerged and the challenges they're facing in ensuring their citizens have access to fast speeds.

The gaming industry is booming and the pandemic has only accelerated its growth. Developers are championing a more accessible and diverse industry and users are taking advantage of connecting with audiences through platforms like Twitch. We'll explore the current state of online gaming, its inextricable link to the growth of internet network speeds and capacity, and ways in which the sector will evolve as speeds continue to increase. We speak with Kurston Timothy, a developer and Head of Diversity and Inclusion at Ubisoft, and Rokashi, a tech journalist and developer with Glow Up Games.

Sales of virtual reality goggles have risen by 350% as those trapped at home seek a safe way to escape from lockdown. But VR is making waves in more than just homes -- it's also impacting industries like journalism, healthcare and education. In this episode, we speak about how industries are pushing the boundaries with the medium and the future of this technology. Hear from Zahra Rasool, Head of Al Jazeera Contrast and Sophie Thompson, the co-founder of VirtualSpeech.

The pandemic pushed many people to do critical services online -- like managing personal finances. This episode looks at the uptick of online banking and how both individual Canadians and banks had to rely on strong, secure internet connections to keep money moving and the economy afloat. We speak with Peter Tilton the Senior Vice President of Digital for RBC and Natasha Knox, founder of Alaphia Financial Wellness and a Certified Financial Planner.