Backgrounder: Governments of Canada and British Columbia invest to improve high-speed Internet access across British Columbia
Backgrounder
On March 4, 2024, the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, together with the Honourable George Chow, British Columbia’s (B.C.) Minister of Citizens’ Services, announced combined federal and provincial funding to improve high-speed Internet access in communities across British Columbia.
Here is an overview of B.C.’s connectivity status:
- In 2022, 95.2% of B.C. was connected to high-speed Internet (at least 50 megabits per second [Mbps] download /10 Mbps upload)
- In 2023, 96.6% of B.C. was connected to high-speed Internet (at least 50 Mbps download / 10 Mbps upload)
- In 2024, 97% of B.C. is projected to be connected to high-speed Internet (at least 50 Mbps download / 10 Mbps upload )
- In 2025, 97.1% of B.C. is projected to be connected to high-speed Internet (at least 50 Mbps download / 10 Mbps upload )
- In 2026, 97.1% of B.C. is projected to be connected to high-speed Internet (at least 50 Mbps download / 10 Mbps upload )
The communities that will benefit from improved Internet speeds thanks to projects that are not specifically co-funded with B.C. but are still part of the memorandum of understanding between the governments of Canada and B.C. are as follows:
| Internet service provider | Federal funding only | Number of households to be served | Communities to benefit | Technology | Estimated completion date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UBF-03870 (TELUS Communications Company) | $1,935,000 | 312 households | Thetis Island | Fibre last mile | December 2024 |
| UBF-05159 (Ktunaxa Nation [FlexiNET]) | $1,838,436 | 215 households, of which 52 are Indigenous | Blaeberry, Columbia Lake 3 (ʔakisq̓nuk First Nation), Golden, Invermere, Moberly School Road, Nicholson, Parson, Shuswap Band (Kenpesq't) (Secwépemc Nation), St. Mary's Lake, Windermere | Fibre last mile and backbone | June 2025 |
| UBF-06011 (CityWest Cable & Telephone Corp.) | $3,374,453 | 759 households | Savary Island | Fibre last mile | July 2027 |
| UBF-07068 (CityWest Cable & Telephone Corp.) | $3,116,795 | 1,208 households | Mackenzie (rural areas) | Fibre last mile and transit fibre | September 2025 |
The communities that will benefit from improved Internet speeds thanks to projects that are co-funded with B.C. are as follows:
| Internet service provider | Combined federal and provincial funding | Number of households to be served | Communities to benefit | Technology | Estimated completion date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UBF-01074 (Nisga'a Lisims Government) | $5,029,600 | 618 households (all Indigenous) | Nass Camp, New Aiyansh (Gitlax̱t'aamiks Village Government), Nisga'a Village of Gitwinksihlkw, Nisga'a Village of Lax̱galts'ap | Fibre last mile, backbone and traditional mobile | March 2025 |
| UBF-03153 (TELUS Communications Company) | $10,759,090 | 1,964 households, of which 310 are Indigenous | Blueberry River First Nations, Chetwynd, Doig River First Nation, Dokie Siding, Inklyuhkinatko 2 (Skuppah), Kanaka Bar, Kleetlekut 22 (Lytton), Nekliptum 1 (Kanaka Bar), Nicomen, Osborn, Siska, Skuppah, Spuzzum, Twidwell Bend, Wabi Hill | Fibre last mile and transit fibre | June 2025 |
| UBF-05952 (CityWest Cable & Telephone Corp.) | $2,523,896 | 423 households | Cluculz Lake | Fibre last mile | December 2024 |
| UBF-06027 (CityWest Cable & Telephone Corp.) | $1,028,164 | 85 households (all Indigenous) | Kulkayu (Hartley Bay) No. 4 (Gitga'at First Nation) | Fibre last mile | December 2023 |
| UBF-06740 (CityWest Cable & Telephone Corp.) | $1,854,334 | 304 households | Mitchell Bay, Sointula | Fibre last mile | December 2025 |
| UBF-06826 (CityWest Cable & Telephone Corp.) | $2,132,745 | 547 households, of which 7 are Indigenous | Fort St. James, Nak'azdli Whut'en 1 | Fibre last mile and transit fibre | June 2025 |
| UBF-07061 (CityWest Cable & Telephone Corp.) | $828,662 | 192 households | Burns Lake (rural areas), Tchesinkut Lake | Fibre last mile | June 2025 |
| UBF-07154 (CityWest Cable & Telephone Corp.) | $1,887,065 | 590 households, of which 248 are Indigenous | Alert Bay 1 ('Na̱mgis First Nation), Alert Bay 1A ('Na̱mgis First Nation), Nimpkish 2 ('Na̱mgis First Nation) | Fibre last mile | June 2025 |
| CCBC-010030 (Kaslo infoNet Society) | $854,764 | 262 households | Ainsworth Hot Springs, Argenta, Cooper Creek, Howser, Kaslo, Lardeau, Meadow Creek, Shutty Bench | Fibre last mile | December 2026 |
| CCBC-010033 (Kaslo infoNet Society) | $198,282 | 48 households | Johnsons Landing, Kaslo, Riondel | Fibre last mile | December 2024 |
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