More than $44M to connect 7,386 homes in Gaspésie and Est-du-Québec to broadband Internet

News Release

December 19, 2017 – Gaspé, Quebec

Under the Québec branché program, TELUS Communications Inc. will install a backbone network, at a cost of $44,746,160, in Gaspésie to bring broadband Internet availability to 61 communities in the region. Installing this network will also result in 87 communities in the Bas-Saint-Laurent, Côte‑Nord, Chaudière-Appalaches, Capitale-Nationale and Mauricie regions having access to broadband.

It is expected that 7,386 households in Gaspésie and Est-du-Québec will have access to broadband Internet services The Government of Quebec and the Government of Canada are respectively contributing $20,723,568 and $10,361,784 to this project.

The announcement was made today by Dominique Anglade, Deputy Premier of Quebec, Minister of Economy, Science and Innovation, and Minister responsible for the Digital Strategy, and Pierre Moreau, Quebec Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Minister responsible for the Plan Nord and Minister responsible for the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine region, along with the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue and Member of Parliament for Gaspésie–Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development.

The goal of the Québec branché program is to provide broadband Internet services to unserved or underserved regions and communities. Project selection and funding were made in collaboration with the federal Connect to Innovate program. In total, 80 projects have been selected in 14 regions of Quebec.

Communities in the Gaspésie region targeted by the TELUS Communications Inc. project

  • Bonaventure
  • Broadlands
  • Cap-au-Renard
  • Caps-de-Maria
  • Cap-Seize
  • Chandler-Ouest
  • Clapperton
  • Clemville
  • Dimock Creek
  • Grande-Cascapédia
  • Grande-Vallée-des-Monts
  • Grand-Pabos
  • Gros-Morne
  • Kelly
  • L’Alverne
  • L’Immaculée-Conception
  • La Martre
  • La Petite-France
  • L’Anse-Pleureuse
  • Les Côtes-du-Portage
  • Les Quarante
  • Madeleine-Centre
  • Manche-d’Épée
  • Mann
  • Mann Settlement
  • Martin
  • Mont-Saint-Pierre
  • Murdochville
  • New Carlisle West
  • New Richmond
  • Newport-Ouest
  • Paspébiac-Est
  • Petite-Vallée
  • Pointe-à-la-Garde
  • Port-Daniel
  • Port-Daniel-Ouest
  • Querry
  • Rivière-Caplan
  • Rivière-la-Madeleine
  • Rivière-Port-Daniel
  • Robidoux
  • Ruisseau-à-Rebours
  • Ruisseau-Castor
  • Ruisseau-des-Olives
  • Ruisseau-Leblanc
  • Runnymede
  • Saint-Adélard
  • Saint-André-de-Restigouche
  • Saint-Edgar
  • Saint-François-de-Pabos
  • Saint-Godefroi
  • Saint-Isidore-de-Gaspé
  • Saint-Jean-de-Matapédia
  • Saint-Jogues
  • Saint-Jogues-Sud
  • Saint-Siméon-de-Bonaventure
  • Saint-Victor-de-Bonaventure
  • Saint-Yvon
  • Shigawake
  • Shigawake-Est
  • Thivierge

Communities in the Est-du-Québec region targeted by the TELUS Communications Inc. project

Bas-Saint-Laurent

  • Albertville
  • Baie-des-Sables
  • Dufaultville
  • Grosses-Roches
  • L’Anse-à-la-Croix
  • Lac-Humqui
  • La-Rédemption
  • La-Trinité-des-Monts
  • Le-Petit-Saint-Marcellin
  • Les-Hauteurs-de-Rimouski
  • Padoue
  • Pointe-Leggatt
  • Ruisseau-à-la-Loutre
  • Rivière-Matane
  • Ruisseau-Gagnon
  • Saint-Adelme
  • Saint-Alexandre-des-Lacs
  • Saint-Charles-Garnier
  • Saint-Cléophas
  • Saint-Damase
  • Sainte-Félicité
  • Sainte-Florence
  • Sainte-Irène
  • Sainte-Jeanne-d’Arc
  • Sainte-Marguerite-Marie
  • Sainte-Paule
  • Saint-Eugène-de-Ladrière
  • Saint-Gabriel-de-Rimouski
  • Saint-Jean-de-Cherbourg
  • Saint-Léandre
  • Saint-Luc-de-Matane
  • Saint-Noël
  • Saint-Octave-de-Métis
  • Saint-René-de-Matane
  • Saint-Tharcisius
  • Saint-Vianney
  • Tartigou
  • Val-d’Irène

Côte Nord

  • Aguanish
  • Baie-Johan-Beetz
  • Baie-Saint-Ludger
  • Colombier
  • L’Île-Michon
  • Les Buissons
  • Les Îlets-Caribou
  • Les Îlets-Jérémie
  • Longue-Pointe-de-Mingan
  • Magpie
  • Mingan–Ekuanitshit
  • Natashquan
  • Pointe-aux-Anglais
  • Pointe-aux-Outardes
  • Pointe-des-Monts
  • Rivière-au-Tonnerre
  • Rivière-Saint-Jean
  • Ruisseau-Vert
  • Saint-Marc-de-Latour
  • Sheldrake

Chaudière-Appalaches

  • Armstrong
  • Bras-d’Apic
  • Honfleur
  • Issoudun
  • L’Espérance
  • La Normandie
  • Lac-Fortin
  • Lac-Trois-Saumons
  • Les Fonds
  • Morigeau
  • Pinguet
  • Saint-Adalbert
  • Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly
  • Saint-Damase-des-Aulnaies
  • Sainte-Agathe-de-Lotbinière
  • Sainte-Appoline
  • Sainte-Euphémie
  • Sainte-Félicité
  • Saint-Marcel
  • Saint-Michel-de-Bellechasse
  • Saint-Omer
  • Saint-Philémon-Sud
  • Saint-René

Capitale-Nationale

  • La Rivière
  • Lac-Alain
  • Lac-Blanc
  • Lac-du-Milieu

Mauricie

  • Rousseau
  • Proulxville

Quotes

“Access to high-speed Internet is no longer a luxury; it’s essential. High-speed Internet services are basic tools that all Canadians should have access to, regardless of their postal code. Canadians need these services to do business and build stronger communities. The Government of Canada recognizes that innovation takes place everywhere in Canada, both in cities and rural areas. Thanks to our Connect to Innovate program, Canadians will be better able to seize the opportunities offered by the digital economy.”

– The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development

“Our support for these projects will enable more households and businesses to connect, thereby contributing to Quebec’s economic growth and the vitality of its regions. Just like electricity was a driving force in the 20th century, access to broadband Internet is today a powerful driver of digital and socio-economic development. That’s why, in the Quebec Digital Strategy, the Government of Quebec announced an investment of $200 million to build on Québec branché so that all residents have access to high-speed networks within the next five years.”

– Dominique Anglade, Deputy Premier of Quebec, Minister of Economy, Science and Innovation, and Minister responsible for the Digital Strategy

“People in Gaspésie will soon have access to the same high-speed Internet service as urban dwellers. It will no longer be necessary to go elsewhere to launch a business, gain new skills, expand markets, or sell goods and services. All that can be done right here. The Internet is a fundamental tool that gives Canadians the means to gain the skills needed to innovate. It helps transform new ideas into promising solutions, generate business opportunities and create jobs that strengthen the middle class.”

– The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue and Member of Parliament for Gaspésie–Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine

“Carrying out this project in the Gaspésie region will help local businesses that need broadband Internet services to further develop and increase their competitiveness. Families in remote areas that were previously underserved will enjoy a better quality of life. The entire Gaspésie region will come away a winner.”

– Pierre Moreau, Quebec Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Minister responsible for the Plan Nord and Minister responsible for the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine region

“Thanks to support from the federal and provincial governments, we will offer high-speed Internet access to 99% of cities, towns and communities in Est-du-Québec by 2021. Since 2013, we have invested more than $300 million to extend our fibre optic network in Quebec so that thousands of residents, businesses and public institutions can have access to a world-class network. On behalf of the 6,000 members of the TELUS Québec team, I’m pleased by this shared commitment to do everything possible to provide Quebecers with the best technological solutions at home, at work and on the road.”

– François Gratton, Executive Vice-President and President, Business Solutions East and TELUS Québec

Quick Facts

Contacts

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Gabrielle Tellier
Press Secretary
Office of the Deputy Premier, Minister of Economy, Science and Innovation, and Minister responsible for the Digital Strategy
418-691-5650

Catherine Poulin
Press Secretary
Office of Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Minister responsible for the Plan Nord and Minister responsible for the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine region
418-643-7295

Karl W. Sasseville
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development
343-291-2500

Information

Jean-Pierre D’Auteuil
Media Relations Officer
Communications Branch
Ministry of Economy, Science and Innovation
418-691-5698, extension 4868
418-559-0710 (cell)

Media Relations
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
343-291-1777
ic.mediarelations-mediasrelations.ic@canada.ca

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