GATINEAU — The CRTC last week announced seven transport projects will receive up to $57.7 million in funding from the Commission’s Broadband Fund to improve broadband connectivity in 15 underserved communities in northern Quebec, Ontario and British Columbia.
Approximately 1,400 kilometres of fibre transport networks will be built in the 15 rural and remote communities representing almost 6,500 households, including five communities that are both Indigenous and official-language minority communities. In addition to providing improved transport connectivity for households in the targeted communities, the networks will collectively connect up to 55 public institutions, such as schools, medical facilities and libraries.
A total of $57.7 million in funding is being allocated to four recipient companies: Kativik Regional Government (two projects in Quebec), Cogeco Connexion (three projects in Ontario), Nexicom Inc. (one project in Ontario) and Columbia Basin Broadband Corporation (one project in British Columbia).
The CRTC’s press release says construction for some projects announced today is anticipated to start in the second half of 2021 at the earliest.
The funding for these projects is being awarded as part of the second call for applications to the Commission’s $750-million Broadband Fund, which to date has committed up to $156.5 million to improve broadband service for 107 communities representing approximately 24,500 households.
For more information about the seven transport projects announced today, please see the Commission’s backgrounder here.
