FlexNetworks awarded $2.4 million to build high-speed Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) Internet service in six underserved communities near Saskatoon

SASKATOON, SK, Feb. 18, 2022 /CNW/ - FlexNetworks is pleased to announce that it has been awarded $2.4 million through the Universal Broadband Fund's (UBF) Rapid Response Stream to provide high-speed fibre-optic Internet service to six underserved communities in rural Saskatchewan.

These projects will benefit nearly one thousand households in the hamlets of Neuanlage and Neuhorst, the village of Bradwell, the resort villages of Shields and Thode, and rural areas near the village of Clavet. The construction of the network in these communities is well underway and is scheduled to be fully completed by the end of March 2022.

We look forward to doing our part to fulfil Canada's Connectivity Strategy and bring high-speed Internet to everyone

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The funding was first announced yesterday by the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, together with the Honourable Dan Vandal, Minister of Northern Affairs, Minister responsible for Prairies Economic Development Canada and Minister responsible for the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency.

"We would like to applaud the federal government and its multiple broadband funding initiatives," says Jacques Taillefer, Executive Vice President at FlexNetworks. "Those programs help improve Internet access for rural communities across the country, and without such initiatives, projects like these ones would never get realized."

Selected UBF projects from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) are designed to deliver the greatest value for Canadians in terms of providing access to affordable, robust broadband service to underserved communities. Each application is evaluated using a detailed three-stage assessment and due diligence process.

The Fibre-to-the-Home (FTTH) connectivity will be built by FlexNetworks and the residential Internet services will be available directly to customers through FlexNetworks' subsidiary, Redbird Communications (redbirdfibre.ca). Redbird is using network equipment from Calix to power whole home Wi-Fi and deliver speeds up to 2.5 Gbps, the fastest residential Internet service available in Saskatchewan.

"Our government continues to take real action to connect Canadians from coast to coast," says Robin Seaborn, General Manager of Redbird. "And we look forward to doing our part to help fulfil Canada's Connectivity Strategy to bring affordable high-speed Internet access to everyone."

"Greater connectivity is creating new economic development opportunities for rural communities," adds Taillefer. "The Universal Broadband Fund program has the power to transform the lives of thousands of Canadians and businesses, and FlexNetworks is excited to play a role in this transformation."

About FlexNetworks
BH Telecom Corp., doing business as FlexNetworks, owns, manages and operates an extensive fibre-optic infrastructure throughout Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario. By the end of 2022 FlexNetworks will have invested over $100 million and built more than 1,500 km of fibre-optic cable to connect 106 underserved communities across Saskatchewan.

Sources:
Universal Broadband Fund
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada 
High-Speed Access for All: Canada's Connectivity Strategy 

SOURCE FlexNetworks

Media Inquiries: Jacques Taillefer, Executive Vice President, FlexNetworks, Tel: [phone], Email: [email protected], Web: https://flexnetworks.ca/; Customer Inquiries: Redbird Communications, Tel: [phone], Email: [email protected], Web: https://www.redbirdfibre.ca