The federal government in partnership with the governments of Alberta and British Columbia last week announced more than $190 million in combined federal and provincial funding for projects to bring high-speed internet access to underserved households in rural and remote communities across Alberta and in the B.C. Interior.
The governments of Canada and Alberta are providing more than $153 million in combined funding for 24 projects to deliver high-speed internet access to more than 14,400 households in 120 rural and remote communities across the province, including over 800 indigenous households, according to a press release.
Project funding recipients include Telus, Xplore, Clearwater County, Kananaskis Improvement District, Lubicon Lake Band #453 and Mighty Peace Wireless, MCSnet, Slave Lake Communications Ltd., Smith’s Landing First Nation and Northwestel Inc., and Swan River First Nation.
This funding is part of an existing $780-million agreement between the governments of Canada and Alberta, announced in March 2022. The federal portion of the funding is coming from the Universal Broadband Fund (UBF). The two levels of government will continue to announce projects selected under this agreement over the coming months, the press release says.
In British Columbia, the federal and provincial governments are providing more than $37 million in combined funding for two projects by Telus to bring high-speed internet access to more than 1,900 households, including 54 indigenous homes, in central B.C., a separate press release says.
This funding is part of an $830-million agreement between the governments of Canada and British Columbia, also announced in March 2022 and with federal funding coming from the UBF.
The Alberta and B.C. projects announced last week will contribute to the federal government’s goal of providing high-speed internet access (at least 50/10 Mbps) to 98 per cent of Canadians by 2026 and to 100 per cent by 2030, the press releases say.
According to the federal government, currently 93.5 per cent of Canadian households have access to high-speed internet, compared to just 79 per cent in 2014.
