Government of Canada invests over $700,000 to bring high-speed Internet to 1,111 more homes in Bancroft, Carrying Place and Mountain View Français
Ontarians in rural communities to benefit from increased connectivity
OTTAWA, ON, May 27, 2021 /CNW/ - Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how much we rely on our connections. Now more than ever, Canadians across the country need access to reliable high-speed Internet as many of us are working, learning, and staying in touch with friends and family from home. Right now, too many Canadians living in rural and remote communities lack access to high-speed Internet. Through the Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) Rapid Response Stream, the Government of Canada is taking immediate action to get Canadians connected to the high-speed Internet they need.
Today, Neil Ellis, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Member of Parliament for Bay of Quinte, on behalf of the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, announced just over $700,000 in federal funding to bring high-speed Internet to 1,111 underserved households in the communities of Bancroft, Carrying Place and Mountain View, Ontario. Cogeco Connexion is investing $324,000 and Bell Canada is investing nearly $1.7 million.
The Universal Broadband Fund was launched in November 2020. The projects being announced today were approved within six months of the formal launch of the now $2.75-billion program. Projects funded under the UBF, as well as through other public and private investments, will help connect 98% of Canadians to high-speed Internet by 2026 and achieve the national target of 100% connectivity by 2030.
Today's announcement builds on the progress the Government of Canada has already made to improve critical infrastructure in Ontario. Since 2015, the federal government has invested more than $2.85 billion in over 4,060 infrastructure projects in Ontario communities with a population of fewer than 100,000 people. These investments mean 452 km of new or upgraded roads that are making our communities safer; more than 938 projects to provide residents with cleaner, more sustainable sources of drinking water; and more than 5,427 additional housing units built in rural communities, helping ensure all Ontarians have a safe place to call home.
Quotes
"Accessible high-speed Internet is essential in our digital age, whether it be for supporting Canadians' access to job opportunities, online health care and educational services or for holding video calls with loved ones. This infrastructure plays a big role in providing communities across the country with equal access to our connected world. Today's announcement of successful Rapid Response Stream projects in our area is the news that our communities have been waiting for. I look forward to continued cooperation as these projects progress, bringing high-speed Internet to all Canadians."
– Neil Ellis, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Member of Parliament for Bay of Quinte
"Access to high-speed broadband networks will be a driver of Canada's recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and of future social and economic prosperity, and Bell has committed to further accelerating our industry-leading capital investment plan over the next two years to connect even more communities across the country. We're proud to invest $1,689,000 and to partner with the Government of Canada in providing residents of Bancroft with access to the fastest fibre home Internet speeds available."
– Bruce Furlong, Senior Vice-President, Access Engineering and Deployment, Bell Canada
"Cogeco is thrilled to move ahead with these broadband infrastructure projects. As part of these investments, we will deploy our fibre-to-the-home solution that is capable of delivering speeds of up to 1 Gbps and allows for services comparable to those available in major urban centres. This will surely contribute to reducing the digital divide between urban and rural areas in Ontario, which is crucial for the communities we serve, while also driving economic recovery."
– Matt Wickham, Vice-President and General Manager, Ontario Region, Cogeco Connexion
Quick facts
- Canada's Connectivity Strategy aims to provide all Canadians with access to Internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download / 10 Mbps upload.
- The Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) is a $2.75-billion investment designed to help connect all Canadians to high-speed Internet. Applications to the UBF were accepted until March 15, 2021, and are now being evaluated.
- The UBF is part of a suite of federal investments to improve high-speed Internet. The suite includes the Connect to Innovate program, which is expected to connect nearly 400,000 households by 2023, and the recently announced $2-billion broadband initiative from the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
Associated links
- Backgrounder: Universal Broadband Fund and Telesat low Earth orbit satellite capacity agreement
- Universal Broadband Fund
- Connect to Innovate Program – Project status updates
- Canada Infrastructure Bank announcement
- High-Speed Access for All: Canada's Connectivity Strategy
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SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Marie-Pier Baril, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, [email protected], 613-295-8123; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, 343-291-1777, [email protected]
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