Government of Canada reports on progress in connecting all Canadians to high-speed Internet, highlights online tool

OTTAWA, ON, March 22, 2023 /CNW/ - Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

No matter where you live, access to reliable, affordable high-speed Internet is essential.

Today, the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, reported on the Government of Canada's progress toward its goal of connecting all Canadians to high-speed Internet. The Minister also highlighted the High-speed Internet Access Dashboard—a convenient online tool that is updated quarterly and allows Canadians to find information on connectivity progress by province and territory.

Progress to date

Thanks to the Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) as well as other federal and provincial investments, the Government of Canada is on track to exceed its goal of providing high-speed Internet access to 98% of Canadian households by 2026 and 100% by 2030. Today, 93.5% of Canadian households have access to high-speed Internet compared to just 79% in 2014. The government achieved the target of delivering high-speed Internet to 90% of Canadians by 2021. Since 2015, approximately 2.2 million more Canadian homes have received access to high-speed Internet as a result of significant investments made by the federal government, provinces and territories, municipalities, Indigenous communities, and large and small Internet service providers from coast to coast to coast.

Since the launch of the UBF in November 2020, more than 260 projects and six federal-provincial funding agreements have been announced. These investments will help bring affordable and reliable high-speed Internet to over 950,000 households, including over 29,000 Indigenous households.

This year, the government has announced new projects that will connect more than 36,000 homes in Newfoundland and Labrador, over 16,000 homes in Ontario, and over 5,000 homes in Saskatchewan, with more to come. Information related to specific projects is posted online as the projects are announced.

Partnering for success

To help meet connectivity targets faster, the Government of Canada entered into co-funding partnerships with Quebec, Ontario, Newfoundland and Labrador, Alberta, British Columbia, and Prince Edward Island. With nearly $2 billion in provincial co-funding secured, these partnerships allow for more households to be connected through UBF funding.

Under the UBF, the government is also working to close mobile connectivity gaps, with up to $50 million allocated for mobile projects that primarily benefit Indigenous communities. The federal government's partnership with the Government of British Columbia through the UBF to provide complete mobile connectivity along B.C.'s Highway of Tears will make this highway safer for all travellers, especially Indigenous women and girls. The government looks forward to making more announcements about mobile connectivity in 2023.

Closing the gap

Since 2015, the federal government has made $7.6 billion available for improving connectivity across Canada. The Government of Canada will continue to work hard to exceed its targets so that all Canadians, no matter where they live, have access to high-speed Internet as soon as possible.

Quotes 

"We all know that Internet is no longer a luxury—it's a necessity. I am proud to say that thanks to our government's efforts, 93.5% of Canadian households currently have access to high-speed Internet, compared to just 79% in 2014. We are on track to surpass our target of providing 98% of Canadians with high-speed Internet access by 2026 and all Canadians by 2030. As Minister, I will continue to make sure that rural Canadians have the access they need to affordable high-speed Internet and mobile connectivity."
– The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development

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.
• Since 2015, the Government of Canada has allocated $7.6 billion toward building or improving broadband Internet infrastructure from coast to coast to coast.
• The Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) is a $3.225 billion investment by the Government of Canada designed to help provide high-speed Internet access to 98% of Canadians by 2026 and achieve the national target of 100% access by 2030.
• The High-speed Internet Access Dashboard is updated on a quarterly basis and allows Canadians to view national progress and government funding by province and territory.
• Today, 93.5% of Canadian households have access to high-speed Internet compared to just 79% in 2014.
• The National Broadband Internet Service Availability Map is an interactive tool that allows Canadians to find Internet service providers as well as connectivity projects under way in their area.

Associated links

• Universal Broadband Fund
• High-speed Internet Access Dashboard
• Backgrounder: Universal Broadband Fund and Telesat low Earth orbit capacity agreement
• High-Speed Access for All: Canada's Connectivity Strategy
• National Broadband Internet Service Availability Map

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SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Contacts: Hugo Alvarez, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Rural Economic Development, 343-551-7846, [email protected]; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, [email protected]