Canada and British Columbia recently announced $236 million in joint federal and provincial funding.
The $236M of capital is earmarked for eight projects designed to bring high-speed Internet access to remote and rural communities throughout the province.
The eight projects will impact more than 13,000 households, according to the Secretary of State for Rural Development, Buckley Belanger, who describes internet access as “essential and foundational infrastructure.”
“For Canada’s rural, remote, and northern communities, having a reliable connection can make all the difference in being able to access vital virtual health care, work online, or just keep in touch with loved ones,” Buckley commented.
High-speed Internet is “essential for people to learn, work, connect, access health care, and grow their businesses—wherever they call home,” agrees Diana Gibson, British Columbia’s Minister of Citizens’ Services.
“Through strong partnerships with the federal government, we are helping more families, businesses, and … communities across British Columbia access reliable high-speed connectivity and the opportunities that come with it,” Gibson remarked.
Buckley says “we are committed to providing access to high-speed Internet to 100% of Canadian households by 2030.”
The governments are working with partners such as CityWest and TELUS to supply the necessary infrastructure.
“TELUS is proud to expand reliable high-speed Internet access to rural and Indigenous communities across the province through our continued partnership with the governments of Canada and British Columbia,” stated Liz Wong, Vice-President National Network Planning for the Vancouver telecom titan.
“This investment strengthens connectivity for these communities, essential to building a stronger Canada,” said Wong. “It empowers residents and businesses to access education, health care and economic opportunities while participating fully in the digital economy.”
CityWest, another local provider, “is focused on building infrastructure that keeps communities connected while ensuring investment and decision making remain rooted in the regions we serve,” according to chief executive officer Stefan Woloszyn. “Connectivity is essential infrastructure that shapes economic resilience, public safety, education, health care access, and long-term community sustainability.”
This funding is part of an existing agreement between the governments of Canada and British Columbia established in 2022.
Canada’s Connectivity Strategy promises Internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second download and 10 Mbps upload, while The Universal Broadband Fund is a $3.2 billion investment from the federal government to help provide access to 100% of Canadians by 2030.
Today, 96% of Canadian households have access to high-speed Internet, compared to 79% in 2014. In B.C., that figure is almost 97%.
Since 2015, the Government of Canada has invested nearly $600M in connectivity projects in British Columbia.
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