MP decries “shockingly high” Connect to Innovate denials; has multi-billion-dollar plan to connect all in four years

Only 50 communities, 25,000 households, have so far been connected under Connect to Innovate By Ahmad Hathout OTTAWA – The federal government has denied the vast majority of the nearly 900 applications it has received for the $585 million Connect to Innovate rural broadband program, according to an order paper answer from the rural economic development minister last month. So far, the program has received and assessed all 892 project applications, with 874 of those receiving a response and 610 denied funds, according to the answer. “It’s shockingly high,” Brian Masse, NDP MP and innovation critic, said in an interview...