Feds Drop $11 Million to Bring High-Speed Internet to Rural Saskatchewan

The federal government said on Friday is putting up more than $11 million to help fix spotty internet in rural and remote parts of Saskatchewan. The new funding will cover four major projects aimed at connecting over 1,920 homes (about $5,729/home) across 28 different communities, including nearly 200 Indigenous households.

Announced in Meadow Lake by Buckley Belanger, the Secretary of State for Rural Development, the money comes from the Universal Broadband Fund. The goal is to bridge the digital divide that often leaves northern and rural areas with slow speeds (and sometimes no internet at all) compared to the rest of the country.

Closing the Gap by 2030

This investment is part of a larger federal plan to ensure every single home in Canada has access to high-speed internet by 2030. While many in the city take fast Wi-Fi for granted, many in Saskatchewan’s remote areas still struggle with basic connectivity for things like school, work, or virtual doctor visits.

“For people living in rural, remote and northern areas, high-speed internet is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity,” said Belanger.

Executives from FlexNetworks, Access Communications, and Prairie Crocus Rural Internet say new federal funding is essential for bringing high-speed fibre and wireless coverage to rural Saskatchewan

By targeting 28 specific communities, the government hopes to make these areas safer and more economically competitive. While the 2030 deadline is still a few years away, officials say these specific projects are a major milestone in getting the province fully connected.