WATERLOO, ON – Canada officially has a national digital strategy after Industry Minister James Moore unveiled Digital Canada 150 in Waterloo on Friday morning, billed as an “ambitious path” with clear goals for a connected and competitive Canada.
Under Digital Canada 150, the federal government will provide $305 million to extend and enhance high-speed Internet services to a target speed of 5 Mbps for some 280,000 Canadian households in rural and remote areas; provide $36 million in funding to repair, refurbish and then donate computers to public libraries, not-for-profit organizations and Aboriginal communities earmarked for students; and, through the Business Development Bank of Canada, invest $300 million in venture capital for digital companies and $200 million to support small and medium-sized businesses with digital technology adoption.
"We now live in a digital world. What connects us today are the Internet and new technologies that have created tremendous opportunities for Canadians to communicate with each other and businesses to compete globally”, said Minister Moore, in a statement. “Our government's top priorities are jobs and economic growth. Digital Canada 150 is a plan to take full advantage of the digital economy as we celebrate our 150th anniversary in 2017. It's the next step to build our nation and connect Canadians to each other."
Digital Canada 150 is the result of extensive consultations with industry, businesses and individual Canadians. The policy framework encompasses 39 new initiatives based on 250 submissions that were received from more than 2,000 Canadians who registered to participate in online consultations held over three months in 2010.
