BRACEBRIDGE, ONTARIO, November 6, 2010 — The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Industry, today announced details of the third round of projects conditionally approved for funding through the Broadband Canada: Connecting Rural Canadians program. These 21 latest projects will soon connect 30 184 households in four provinces and one territory to broadband Internet networks.
"These projects are the latest commitment to Canadians living in northern and rural regions through the Broadband Canada: Connecting Rural Canadians program," said Minister Clement. "The new economic opportunities these projects will create in these communities will benefit Canada for many years to come."
Minister Clement also announced that seven of the 21 projects conditionally approved for funding will be in Ontario, potentially bringing broadband to 9 614 households in the province.
"I am delighted to announce that more families, businesses and individuals in Ontario will soon have access to high-speed internet for the first time," said Minister Clement of the Ontario projects. "Our government is committed to creating new economic opportunities for northern and rural Canadians by expanding broadband internet service into their communities."
Canada's Economic Action Plan provided $225 million for the development and implementation of a strategy to extend broadband coverage. By far the biggest component of this strategy is Broadband Canada: Connecting Rural Canadians, an initiative that targets Canadians living in unserved and underserved areas. This latest round of conditionally approved funding builds on earlier project announcements, on May 9, 2010 and July 6-15, 2010. Together, these three rounds of announcements will make broadband connectivity available to nearly 250 000 Canadian households.
For the individuals, families and businesses that will soon have access to broadband Internet, important economic and social benefits, including telehealth, business opportunities and distance learning, will become available. More broadly, broadband Internet access will encourage economic development, spur innovation and improve the quality of life in hundreds of communities across Canada.
The attached backgrounder provides more information on this round of announcements. More details, including the areas covered by these projects, are available on the Broadband Canada website.
For further information (media only), please contact:
Lynn Meahan
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Tony Clement
Minister of Industry
613-995-9001
Media Relations
Industry Canada
613-943-2502
On November 6, 2010, the Government of Canada announced the third round of projects to receive conditional funding approval through the Broadband Canada: Connecting Rural Canadians program. Projects conditionally approved in this round reflect a total investment of $29.1 million nationally. Collectively, these projects will offer broadband Internet access to 30 184 households.
The following 16 companies, representing a total of 21 projects, are conditionally approved for funding as part of today's announcement:
- Barrett Xplore Inc.
- Bell Aliant Regional Communications, Limited Partnership
- Broadband Communications North Inc.
- Chatham Internet Access
- Chippawa of the Saugeen First Nation, known as Saugeen First Nation
- Communication-Témiscamingue
- CORE Broadband Inc.
- Davinci Broadband Inc.
- Douglas First Nation (Xa'xtsa) Band
- Huron Telecommunications Co-operative Limited
- Manitoba NetSet Ltd.
- Northwestel Inc.
- Norway House Cree Nation Broadband
- TGV Net Mauricie
- True 802 Wireless, Inc.
- UNI Connexions Abitibi Inc.
More details on today's announcement, including the areas covered by these projects, are available on the Broadband Canada website.
Combined with the projects announced in Round 1 on May 9, 2010, and in Round 2 between July 6 and 15, 2010, Broadband Canada will soon bring high-speed broadband Internet connectivity to nearly 250 000 households across the country. While this is the last round of major announcements under Broadband Canada, additional investments involving more geographic areas, regions, provinces and companies may be made in the near future.
As part of Budget 2009: Canada's Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada provided $225 million over three years, beginning in 2009–10, for Industry Canada to develop and implement a strategy to extend broadband coverage. By far the biggest component of this strategy is Broadband Canada: Connecting Rural Canadians.
The program aims to extend broadband service to as many unserved and underserved Canadian households as possible. The program's focus on connecting households provides a clearer understanding of the availability of service to Canadians. Because communities vary greatly in size, the fact that a community has broadband access does not always mean that service is available to individual households.
On November 6, 2010, the Government of Canada announced the third round of projects in Ontario to receive conditional funding approval through the Broadband Canada: Connecting Rural Canadians program. The seven projects conditionally approved in this round reflect a total investment of $19 859 547 in the province. Collectively, these projects will offer broadband Internet access to 9 614 households.
The following seven companies are conditionally approved for funding as part of today's announcement:
- Barrett Xplore Inc.
- Bell Aliant Regional Communications, Limited Partnership
- Chatham Internet Access
- Chippawa of the Saugeen First Nation, known as Saugeen First Nation
- CORE Broadband Inc.
- Huron Telecommunications Co-operative Limited
- True 802 Wireless, Inc.
More details on today's announcement, including the areas covered by these projects, are available on the Broadband Canada website.
Combined with the projects announced in Round 1 on May 9, 2010, and in Round 2 between July 6 and 15, 2010, Broadband Canada will soon bring high-speed broadband Internet connectivity to nearly 250 000 households across the country. While this is the last round of major announcements under Broadband Canada, additional investments involving more geographic areas, regions, provinces and companies may be made in the near future.
As part of Budget 2009: Canada's Economic Action Plan, the Government of Canada provided $225 million over three years, beginning in 2009–10, for Industry Canada to develop and implement a strategy to extend broadband coverage. By far the biggest component of this strategy is Broadband Canada: Connecting Rural Canadians.
The program aims to extend broadband service to as many unserved and underserved Canadian households as possible. The program's focus on connecting households provides a clearer understanding of the availability of service to Canadians. Because communities vary greatly in size, the fact that a community has broadband access does not always mean that service is available to individual households.
