Government of Canada bringing high-speed Internet to over 356,000 households in rural and remote communities across Canada
May 20, 2015 – Ottawa – Industry Canada
Today we live in an increasingly borderless world connected by the Internet. New technologies have created tremendous opportunities for Canadians to communicate with each other and for businesses to compete globally. The Internet makes goods cheaper and the world smaller, but for many Canadians living in rural or remote communities, access to high-speed Internet, which is critical to the success of a modern digital economy, is simply not available.
It is unfair that rural Canadians are denied fundamental digital opportunities simply because of where they live. That's why under Economic Action Plan 2014, the Government made an unprecedented commitment of $305 million to connect an additional 280,000 rural, remote and northern households to high-speed Internet at minimum speeds of five megabits per second (Mbps).
Today, Industry Minister James Moore announced that the Harper Government exceeded that target by over 75,000 households in the first round of partnership approvals, bringing high-speed Internet access to more than 356,000 homes across Canada at an average speed of over 5 Mbps.
The Government of Canada is delivering on its commitment to rural Canadians. Most projects will be completed by the time Canada celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2017.
Jake Enwright
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Industry
343-291-2500
Media Relations
Industry Canada
343-291-1777
media-relations@ic.gc.ca
