The Federal Government has announced plans to extend its rural broadband initiative Connecting Canadians to include an additional 65,000 households.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development minister Navdeep Bains said Friday from Niagara-on-the-Lake that 23 Internet service providers across Canada are receiving approximately $34.5 million to increase broadband Internet access for more than 65,000 households in rural areas across Canada.
"Helping to extend high-speed Internet across the country is one of the most important infrastructure investments the Government of Canada can make to help unlock the tremendous potential of our country's northern and rural regions”, said Minister Bains, in the news release. “By working with partners across the country, the Government is helping to deliver increased broadband coverage to underserved areas across Canada. This will provide Canadians with greater employment and business opportunities, better access to online education and e-health, improved communications and media, and increased access to online goods and services."
This investment includes approximately $600,000 that will allow Xplornet Communications to bring improved access to over 7,000 households in the Niagara Region and the counties of Haldimand and Norfolk, continues the release.
"At Xplornet, we believe that rural Canadian families should be offered the same opportunities as families in urban areas. Therefore, we are delighted to work alongside the Government of Canada toward our shared goal of providing fast, affordable Internet to rural Canada”, added Xplornet EVP of business development Bill Macdonald. “By accelerating the build of broadband infrastructure in areas like Niagara, families in the Niagara Region will have enhanced high-speed Internet service so they can experience everything the Internet has to offer."
The Government of British Columbia is also providing approximately $3.4 million in additional support for six of the projects in that province through the Connecting British Columbia program. As well, the Government of Ontario is providing $1.4 million for two of the projects in that province through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation, and the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador is providing approximately $51,000 for the Burgeo project in that province.
Announced in July 2014, Connecting Canadians Digital Canada 150 provide incentives for the private sector to invest in wireless and wireline Internet services in specific areas of the country. Backed by a $305 million commitment, the program aims to connect more than 300,000 households in rural and remote regions of the country to high-speed Internet services at minimum speeds of 5 Mbps.
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Quelle/Source: Cartt, 08.04.2016
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