October 29, 2004 Kensington, Prince Edward Island Over 8,500 residents of the Kensington region of Prince Edward Island will soon have access to fixed-wireless Broadband technology. The "Malpeque Bay Community Broadband Network" will make it possible for these residents along with 15 institutions and over 590 businesses in the central "tourism corridor" region of Prince Edward Island to have access to high-speed internet. The Hon. Wayne Easter, Member of Parliament for Malpeque announced today that KenNet will receive $368,121 from the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (ACOA) through the Strategic Community Investment Fund to carry out this project. "A high-speed internet connection will provide the residents and businesses of this region with access to business, health and education applications that can significantly improve their quality of life," said Mr. Easter. "The Government of Canada has established the goal of ensuring that broadband services are available to businesses and citizens in every Canadian community by 2005. This project, which builds on assistance provided by Industry Canada, is the latest step in making this goal a reality." Today, the most advanced form of communication from person to person and community to community uses computers and other intelligent devices that involve images, sound and text as well as the human voice and require a form of high bandwidth interconnection called "broadband networks." There is a growing consensus that these new forms of communications will, over time, fundamentally transform the way in which people, communities, businesses and governments interact with each other, and in turn will provide opportunities for individuals to forge new relationship and lifestyles, wherever they live, bringing great social and economic value to everyone. - 30 - Ron Crozier Office of the Minister of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency (902) 888-4150 Norman Dewar Manager, KenNet Inc 902-836-4003 www.kennet.pe.ca Catherine MacInnis-Gordon ACOA PEI & Tourism (902) 368-0502
