Op-ed: Canada’s Economy Can Move at 6G speed

March 23, 2026

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As published in The Hill Times, an English-only outlet.

The next global technology race is underway. Governments and industries worldwide are preparing for 6G, the latest generation of wireless connectivity expected to roll out around 2030, according to the International Telecommunication Union. If Canada wants to compete in the digital economy of the future, we need to position ourselves as a 6G leader now.

Each generation of wireless technology has reshaped the global landscape. The mobile app economy was enabled by 4G, while 5G laid the foundation for autonomous vehicles, connected factories and real-time data processing across global supply chains. Each took about a decade to develop, standardize and deploy.

Unlike previous wireless generations focused on faster smartphone downloads, 6G is expected to enable new forms of machine-to-machine communication, the integration of AI directly into network architecture, and sensing capabilities that detect movement through radio signals.

But 6G also presents some real-world realities for Prime Minister Mark Carney’s Build Canada Strong promise to grapple with. The government’s ambitious infrastructure plan aims to strengthen Canada’s long-term economic foundations — but that won’t happen unless digital infrastructure is treated as a core nation-building asset alongside transportation corridors, energy systems and ports.

Unfortunately, recent research from our Business Data Lab suggests Canada is underinvesting in productive assets like machinery, equipment, digital infrastructure and advanced technologies — the exact type of investments that determine if a country leads the next generation of economic and technological development or falls behind. Without strong domestic networks and investment in digital infrastructure, Canada risks becoming a technology user, rather than a technology creator.

It’s not hyperbole to stay that whichever country wins the 6G race will lead the next era of artificial intelligence, advanced manufacturing, and autonomous systems. While 6G may still be in the development stage, technical discussions around standards are already being held by international bodies such as the 3rd Generation Partnership Project and the International Telecommunication Union. Meanwhile, the United States, the European Union, South Korea and Japan are investing heavily in 6G research. Early leadership matters: A report on generative AI from our Business Data Lab stated that early adopters of technology often gain a competitive edge over rivals by introducing superior products and services, securing resources and setting industry standards. Take Finland; the country’s role in early mobile standards helped propel companies like Nokia to global prominence and shaped the global telecommunications ecosystem for decades.

We have the necessary innovative spirit to do the same here at home. Canada has led technology advancement races before, from the telecommunications breakthroughs of Alexander Graham Bell with the invention of the telephone to today’s world-leading AI research at the Vector Institute. And we bring real strengths to this race, too. Our highly educated workforce and innovative research in quantum science and next generation communications form a powerful foundation from which to launch a new digital economy. The challenge is translating the talent and research into globally competitive infrastructure.

Scaling and commercializing a 6G rollout faster than previous technology cycles requires the right policy environment. Currently, unpredictable policy makes long-term capital commitments harder to justify. Permitting delays slow the construction of fibre lines and towers that next-generation networks require. Though Canada’s telecommunications providers invest more than $11 billion annually, leading in the 6G era requires governments to enable the private sector to invest even more boldly, deploy networks faster and innovate at scale. That means competitive tax and depreciation policies, enhanced capital write-offs for technology investment and fibre cable and streamlined approvals for critical infrastructure.

This federal government, laser-focused on turning around Canada’s sluggish economy, should recognize digital infrastructure — particularly mobile networks and data centres — as the modern equivalent of the railways, highways and energy systems that built the country in previous generations. It should also recognize the economic upside of getting this right. According to the Canadian Telecommunications Association, the sector contributed $87 billion to GDP and supported 661,000 jobs in 2024 — with more than $57-billion of that impact driven by productivity gains across other industries. Digital infrastructure must be treated as a core economic asset, and the government should act accordingly to ensure its reliability, resilience and continued expansion.

In the digital economy of the future, the countries that define the rules and build the networks will shape the industries that run on them. As competition for data centres and setting global standards intensifies, Canada cannot afford to fall behind in the international forums where 6G rules are being written. We have the talent, processes and technologies to compete, but our leadership will depend on the policy choices the government makes today.

Alex Greco, Senior Director, Manufacturing and Value Chains, Canadian Chamber of Commerce

To learn more about the Canadian Chamber’s advocacy on this topic, visit our Innovative Infrastructure Council.