Co-op can submit reimbursement claims monthly for costs incurred
The CRTC last week approved Access Communications Co-operative’s statement of work for a transport fibre project in western Saskatchewan, for which the community-owned co-op in November 2025 was awarded up to $12.89 million in funding from the commission’s $750-million Broadband Fund.
In its approval of Access’s project plan outlined in the statement of work — submitted to the telecom regulator on June 30 — the CRTC also approved, by majority decision and on an exceptional basis, Access’s requests to submit claims for reimbursement as frequently as monthly and for costs incurred rather than costs paid.
In its analysis, the CRTC said allowing Access to submit claims more frequently would facilitate the timely coordination of payments and significantly benefit Access in managing its cash flow throughout the life of the project. Allowing Access to submit claims for incurred costs would be appropriate in this case because it would provide cash-flow relief to a non-profit recipient, the CRTC added.
The CRTC also agreed to allow Access to submit its first expense claim in excess of the 25-per-cent limit stated in the conditions of funding stipulated in the CRTC’s Telecom Decision 2025-295, whereby it awarded Access funding for the project as part of the third call of applications to the Broadband Fund. In the commission’s view, allowing Access to claim more than 25 per cent of the approved amount for eligible costs incurred after the Nov. 17, 2025 date of the funding decision but prior to the approval of the statement of work will support the timely completion of the project.
Access is required to submit quarterly progress reports and expense claims beginning no later than Jan. 25, 2027, or as otherwise approved by the commission, until the project is completed. It must file for commission approval a final implementation report within 90 days of construction being complete and broadband services being offered.
The approved project completion date as per Access’s statement of work is December 2028.
