“Starlink, we will diversify away from, no question,” Prime Minister Mark Carney told the New York Times, MobileSyrup reports. He framed it as part of a wider push to reduce Canada’s dependence on the U.S. in trade, resources and technology.
Carney acknowledged that the alternatives are less capable today. His answer is scale through allies: pooling with European partners, and possibly Korean ones, for defence and connectivity.
The options on the table:
- Telesat and Terrestar, both Canadian, are building their own satellite operations.
- Bell and Telus are working with AST SpaceMobile on satellite-to-phone coverage.
- Amazon Leo is another option, though it’s also American.
Starlink is entrenched. It’s a go-to for rural internet and powers Rogers’ satellite texting coverage. Ontario cancelled a $100-million Starlink contract in 2025 during the first round of U.S. tariffs.
Why it matters: For many rural and northern households, Starlink is the best internet they’ve ever had. “Diversify” shouldn’t mean taking that away before something comparable exists. The real test is whether Ottawa funds Canadian and allied networks enough to compete on price and speed.
