Governments of Canada and Quebec invest nearly $200,000 each to ensure 55 households in rural Quebec can access high-speed Internet services

OTTAWA, ON, May 26, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - Through the Universal Broadband Fund's (UBF) Rapid Response Stream and Operation High Speed (French web page), the governments of Canada and Quebec are taking immediate action to ensure that people living in rural and remote communities have access to high-speed Internet.

Today, the Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, on behalf of the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, along with Gilles Bélanger, Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier of Quebec (high-speed Internet), announced nearly $200,000 in funding from each government for a total combined investment of $398,610 for three high-speed Internet projects. These projects will ensure that 55 households in rural Quebec have access to decent connectivity. Funding will be allocated as follows:

• The Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec are each contributing $28,125 for a Bell project that will benefit the community of L'Épiphanie.
• The Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec are each contributing $134,130 for a Bell project that will benefit the community of Boucherville.
• The Government of Canada and the Government of Quebec are each contributing $37,050 for a Bell project that will benefit the community of Bromont.

Today's announcement builds on the Government of Canada's progress toward connecting 98% of Canadians to high-speed Internet by 2026. During the post-pandemic recovery, the Government of Canada will continue to make investments in infrastructure to build stronger and more competitive and resilient communities for everyone across Canada.

Quotes 

"This investment will ensure that 55 households in L'Épiphanie, Boucherville and Bromont, Quebec, can access reliable high-speed Internet services. It will also help create jobs, improve access to health care and online learning services, and keep people connected. Since 2015, the Government of Canada has committed $7.2 billion to connect rural Canadians to better, faster Internet. We will continue making investments like these in rural and remote communities to ensure all Canadians have access to the high-speed Internet services they need."
– The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development

"Canadians need access to affordable, reliable Internet infrastructure. Today's announcement demonstrates our government's diligence in ensuring that the majority of rural Quebecers have access to the high-speed Internet services they need. We will continue to make every effort to see that all households are connected in the near future."
– The Honourable Pascale St-Onge, Minister of Sport and Minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec

"High-speed Internet connectivity is essential, not only for telework but also for the social and economic development of the regions. Jobs, courses, social activities and even health care happen online now. All Quebecers must therefore have access to the technologies that enable them to take part. We want a prosperous, modern and forward-looking Quebec, and it's unthinkable that this can happen without quality high-speed Internet service. In the past year, no effort was spared in accelerating the deployment of service in all regions of Quebec. And we are proud to have overcome several challenges over the past few months thanks to the collaboration of various partners."
– Gilles Bélanger, Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier of Quebec (high-speed Internet)

"More than ever, Canadians need fast and reliable Internet access. Access to high-speed broadband networks will be a key driver of the country's economic prosperity. In addition to our own fully funded capital investments, we are proud to invest an additional $132,000 to partner with the governments of Canada and Quebec in providing more residents in L'Épiphanie, Bromont and Boucherville with access to the fastest fibre home Internet speeds available."
– Karine Moses, Québec Vice-Chair, Bell

Quick facts

• The governments of Canada and Quebec today invested nearly $200,000 each to ensure 55 households in rural Quebec can access high-speed Internet services.
• 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 by the Government of Canada designed to help connect 98% of Canadians to high-speed Internet by 2026, and 100% by 2030.
• The Government of Canada has announced $467 million in UBF funding for Canada-Quebec Operation High Speed. Through this joint funding with the Government of Quebec, up to 166,000 households will be connected to high-speed Internet services.
• The UBF is part of a suite of federal investments to improve high-speed Internet access. Find out more on the High-speed Internet for all of Canada page.
• Since 2015, Government of Canada funding has supported projects to bring improved Internet speeds to over 1.2 million households in rural and remote communities across Canada.

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 Internet for all of Canada
• Operation High Speed (French web page)

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SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Luka Vujic, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Rural Economic Development, 343-571-9582, [email protected]; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, 343-291-1777, [email protected]