OTTAWA – A Sunday evening media advisory asking journalists to attend a technical briefing with Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on its Universal Broadband Fund early tomorrow afternoon, means the details of the new money to help support broadband builds in rural and remote Canada will finally be released Monday, November 9, barring anything unusual happening.
The federal government announced the $1 billion for rural internet in March 2019 and it will build upon the $585 million Connect to Innovate fund which has so far connected only about 50 of a planned 975 communities, or about 28,000 homes and businesses. When announced 20 months ago, the federal government said the new fund will ensure 95% of Canadian homes and businesses will have access to internet speeds of at least 50/10 Mbps by 2026 and 100% by 2030, no matter where they are located in the country.
Cartt.ca of course will take part of that technical briefing, so please come back here later in the day for more on the UBF.
