My Takeaways from the 2025 Canadian Telecom Summit

By Marcia Yale

I had the chance to attend the 2025 Canadian Telecom Summit in Toronto on June 3 and 4. It brought together people who work in telecom, government, and tech to talk about where things are headed. The official theme was a mouthful—“Unlocking Value in a Challenging World”—but what really stood out to me were three simple ideas:

1. Don’t try to do everything on your own

2. Build security into new tech right from the start

3. Innovation has to be responsible

Here is how the three major ideas affected me during the event—and how they might matter to you, too.

Build Your Tribe—Don’t Do It Alone

One message kept coming up: we get more done when we work together. In every session I attended, people kept saying, “Build your tribe.” That means teaming up with others, sharing knowledge, and not wasting time reinventing the wheel.

For example, I sat in on a panel about improving internet service in rural and Indigenous communities. Instead of one company trying to do it all, they showed how partnerships—with local governments and Indigenous leaders—led to better, faster results. Everyone brought something to the table, and nobody duplicated work.

The same idea came up in talks about public safety and transportation. Different industries worked together to save time and money by using what already exists, rather than starting from scratch.

Make Security Part of the Plan from Day One

Another key point: tech needs to be secure from the beginning—not added in after things go wrong. During the cybersecurity session, they shared examples of how privacy and safety can be built into a system as it is being designed, not patched in later.

They talked about tools and strategies that protect your data and your identity, especially with things like 5G and connected devices. These are issues that affect all of us, but they’re especially important when systems are used for things like banking, healthcare, or communication—areas where accessibility matters.

For blind, deafblind or partially sighted people, who often rely on online tools more than others, making sure those systems are safe and reliable is not a “nice to have”—it is essential.

Responsible Innovation Starts with Responsible People

The last big message: just because we can build something doesn’t mean we should—at least, not without thinking it through. That includes how tech affects the environment, how data is used, and whether the benefits are shared fairly.

One session showed how telecom companies are reducing energy use in their data centers and trying to create less e-waste. Another looked at how AI systems are being built, and whether those systems treat people fairly and clearly explain how decisions are made.

For me, that ties back to who gets considered when new tech is created. Are we thinking about people with disabilities? People in small communities? The answer should always be yes—and that means we need responsible people in the room when decisions are made.

Real Examples That Made It Clear

One story that stuck with me was a project by TELUS and Shaw. They worked together to build out their 5G network in northern B.C. By sharing the work, they finished six months faster and saved a lot of money. That kind of teamwork is what the whole summit was pushing for.

Another case showed how one company built security features right into its system from the start—things like full encryption and live threat monitoring. That approach helped them stop problems before they happened.

From Progress to Oversight

One negative moment that really stood out for me happened during the June 3 sessions. A Deaf presenter, speaking through an interpreter, talked about how so many everyday tools—like captioning, speech-to-text, and texting—were originally developed to support people who are Deaf. And as we know, these tools are now used by everyone. Right after this powerful talk, they played a video to introduce the next speaker—the President and CEO of the Canadian Telecommunications Association (also the lead sponsor for the Summit). But the video had no voiceover, no sound effects, just background music.

As a blind attendee, I had no way of knowing what was happening on screen. If there was nothing to see, they wouldn’t have shown it, so clearly, something was going on visually. I flagged this to as many people as I could at the event and was told they would take the feedback seriously. It was frustrating to go from a strong message about accessibility to a clear example of where it was completely overlooked. I learned a few days later, that the visuals included eight slides with images and text outlining data from a recent PwC report.

Final Thoughts

I came away from the summit feeling like there is potential for positive change, but only if we keep asking questions, working together, and making sure no one’s left out—including blind, deafblind and partially sighted Canadians.

We use these technologies every day. We have a right to be part of the conversation about how they’re built and how they’re used.

Let’s keep showing up, speaking up, and making sure the future includes all of us.