CIB and TELUS Collaborate to ‘Close the Connectivity Gap’ in Remote Regions

The Canada Infrastructure Bank and TELUS are expanding high-speed internet service across British Columbia.

CIB and TELUS announced this week that they have formalized an agreement which sees a total of nearly $400M committed to the project.

This includes a sizeable loan to TELUS as the telecom titan aims to provide broadband access to rural and remote communities throughout the province.

The project involves deployment of infrastructure with fibre‑to‑the‑home, enabling high-speed internet access to more than 17,000 underserved households in rural municipalities, according to an official statement.

CIB’s financing will “allow broadband connectivity to expand at a quicker pace.”

Ehren Cory, chief executive officer of the bank, says that the loan “will help bring reliable, high-speed internet to underserved rural and Indigenous communities across British Columbia, and improves project viability in regions where fibre optic connectivity is costly.”

“Our work helps close the connectivity gap in communities so Canadians can fully participate in the digital world, with access to the services, opportunities and connections that come with it,” Ehren stated.

“Through the continued partnership with the Canada Infrastructure Bank, the Government of Canada, and the Government of British Columbia, TELUS is proud to expand our TELUS PureFibre network to rural and Indigenous communities across BC,” commented Liz Wong, who functions as Vice-President of National Network Planning for TELUS.

“This investment ensures families, schools, governments, and businesses—wherever they are—can connect, learn, grow and thrive in a digital world. Together we are building a more equitable, stronger, more connected Canada,” stated Wong.

The collaboration developed under the provincial Connecting Communities BC program in partnership with the Government of Canada through the Universal Broadband Fund, a $3.2B investment from the federal government to help provide access to 100% of Canadians by 2030.

Canada’s Connectivity Strategy promises Internet speeds of 50 megabits per second download and 10 Mbps upload; today, 97% of B.C. households meet this threshold, compared to a nationwide average of 79% in 2014.

Since 2015, the Government of Canada has invested $600M in connectivity projects throughout British Columbia.