The Canadian government announced another $700,000 in funding to help bring high-speed internet to 1,111 underserved households in several Ontario communities.
Neil Ellis, parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food and Member of Parliament for Bay of Quinte, made the announcement on behalf of Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development. The funding will help bring high-speed internet to households in Bancroft, Carrying Place and Mountain View, Ontario.
“Accessible high-speed Internet is essential in our digital age, whether it be for supporting Canadians’ access to job opportunities, online health care and educational services or for holding video calls with loved ones,” said Ellis.
Along with just over $700,000 from the Canadian government, Cogeco will invest $324,000 and Bell will invest $1.7 million. The federal funding comes from Canada’s Universal Broadband Fund (UBF). The government launched the fund in November 2020 as part of the government initiative to connect 98 percent of Canadians to high-speed internet by 2026 and 100 percent connection by 203o. High-speed, in this case, meaning a minimum of 50Mbps down and 10Mbps up.
The Canadian government recently pledged an additional $1 billion to the UBF and announced projects to bring high-speed internet to rural communities in Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Alberta.
