The governments of Canada and Alberta last week announced up to $224.78 million in combined federal and provincial funding for 26 projects to bring high-speed internet access to 82,584 households in rural and remote communities across Alberta, including 1,634 indigenous households.
The two levels of government are contributing equal amounts toward these projects, with the Canadian government’s investment being provided through the Universal Broadband Fund (UBF).
In addition, the Canadian government is investing more than $24.5 million in Arrow Technology Group for one federally funded UBF project that will reach 1,059 households in four communities across Alberta, including 676 indigenous homes.
The internet service providers who are receiving funding for the 26 jointly funded projects include Xplore, Slave Lake Communications Ltd., Missing Link Internet Inc., Lemalu Holdings Ltd. (operating as MSCnet), Woodland Cree Nation, Mighty Peace Wireless, GPN Wireless Network Solutions Ltd., IWantWireless.ca Ltd., Sturgeon County, Yellowhead County, Clearwater County, Village of Acme, Mage Networks Inc., Tough Country Communications Ltd., County of Forty Mile, and Switch Inc., according to a government backgrounder.
Xplore is to receive more than $60 million in combined federal and provincial funding for seven projects to bring high-speed internet access to a total of 70,179 households in rural and remote communities across Alberta.
Slave Lake Communications Ltd. is receiving more than $28.7 million in funding for four projects to bring high-speed internet access to 968 rural and remote Alberta households.
Missing Link Internet Inc. is receiving more than $28.4 million for two projects to deliver high-speed internet access to 2,136 homes across Alberta.
Lemalu Holdings Ltd., operating as MSCnet, is to receive more than $23.4 million for one project to bring high-speed internet access to 3,401 households.
The remainder of the ISPs are receiving funding for individual projects, which will bring high-speed internet access to a total of 5,900 homes. The full funding breakdown is available here.
The funding announced last week is part of an existing $780-million agreement between the governments of Canada and Alberta to expand high-speed internet access to Albertans in rural, remote and indigenous communities. Additional projects selected under this agreement will be announced over the coming months, a federal government press release said last Friday.
The press release from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) said the federal government remains on track to meet its goal of providing high-speed internet (50 Mbps/10Mbps) access to 98 per cent of Canadian households by the end of 2026, and 100 per cent by 2030.
In Alberta, 95.3 per cent of households currently have access to high-speed internet, according to ISED.
