Households in rural and First Nation communities to benefit from the funding to increase access to high-speed Internet
Today, Bryan May, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Defence, on behalf of the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, highlighted more than $16 million in combined federal and provincial funding for two projects to bring high-speed Internet access to 3,330 households in rural Ontario, as well as in First Nation communities. Funding is allocated as follows:
This funding is thanks to a collaboration between Ontario and Canada. On July 29, 2021, the governments announced their partnership to support large-scale, fibre-based projects that will provide high-speed Internet access to more than 280,000 rural and remote households across the province. This historic agreement was made possible by a joint federal-provincial investment totalling more than $1.2 billion.
This investment builds on the Government of Canada's progress toward ensuring that 98% of Canadians have access to high-speed Internet by 2026, and 100% by 2030. As we work to rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic and grow the economy, the federal and provincial governments will continue to make investments in infrastructure to build strong communities and a more competitive and resilient Ontario and Canada for everyone.
Through its broadband initiative, the Canada Infrastructure Bank is collaborating with the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario to improve the commercial viability of projects.
