Government of Canada invests to bring high-speed Internet to 373 households in Ontario

Residents of rural communities to benefit from increased connectivity

OTTAWA, ON, Jan. 24, 2022 /CNW/ - The COVID-19 pandemic has transformed how we live, work, learn and do business, and now more than ever, Canadians across the country need reliable high-speed Internet to access services, supports and opportunities. Through the Universal Broadband Fund's (UBF) Rapid Response Stream, the Government of Canada is taking immediate action to get people living in rural and remote communities connected to high-speed Internet.

Today, Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt, on behalf of the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, announced over $763,000 in funding to bring high-speed Internet to 373 households in Hearst, Ontario.

Today's announcement builds on the Government of Canada's progress toward making sure that 98% of Canadians have access to high-speed Internet by 2026. As we work to rebuild from the pandemic, the Government of Canada will continue to make investments in infrastructure to build strong communities and a more competitive and resilient Canada for everyone.

Quotes 

"This is excellent news for Northern Ontario! The pandemic has shown us how essential high-speed Internet access has become. Our government understands that it is urgent and vital to connect rural and remote regions throughout Canada, including Northern Ontario."
– Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt

"This investment will bring reliable, high-speed Internet access to 373 households in Hearst, Ontario, helping create jobs, improving access to health care and online learning services, and keeping people connected. Through the Universal Broadband Fund, the Government of Canada has committed over $2.6 billion to date to connect rural Canadians to better, faster Internet. We will continue making investments like these in rural and remote communities to help connect every single Canadian to high-speed Internet."
– The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development

"Hearst Connect is very grateful for this federal funding under the Universal Broadband Fund, which will help us expand our fibre-to-the-home network to over 350 households and businesses in Hearst, Ontario. Reliable and ultra-fast Internet is no longer a luxury but a necessity. Hearst Connect would like to thank the Government of Canada for its commitment to improving broadband services for rural and remote communities, as well as the residents of Hearst and its surroundings for their continued support for Hearst Connect."
– Tania Cossette, General Manager for Hearst Connect Corporation

Quick facts

• The project announced today is receiving over $763,000 in Government of Canada funding to bring high-speed Internet to 373 households in Hearst, Ontario.
• 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.
• In 2021, 131 projects supported through the Rapid Response Stream of the Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) were announced. These projects will bring high-speed Internet to more than 75,000 households in rural and remote communities across Canada.
• Since 2015, Government of Canada funding has supported projects to bring high-speed Internet to over 1.1 million households in rural and remote communities across Canada.
• The UBF is a $2.75 billion investment by the Government of Canada to help connect 98% of Canadians to high-speed Internet by 2026 and achieve the national target of 100% connectivity by 2030.
• 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 $2 billion broadband initiative from the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

Associated links

• Backgrounder: Universal Broadband Fund and Telesat low Earth orbit 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

Jeremy Bellefeuille, Director of Communications, Office of the Minister of Rural Economic Development, 343-551-0898, [email protected]; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, 343-291-1777, [email protected]