British Columbia announced earlier this week its Connecting B.C. program and Telus will improve internet speeds and reliability for 10 First Nations territories in the province.
Telus will receive up to $3.58 million from the Connecting British Columbia program for projects to improve the speed and reliability of internet access in communities below, with the Yekooche First Nation to get improvements from ABC Communications in the form of a $322,010 grant:
“Working together with First Nations, the private sector and all levels of government, we are seeing steady progress toward a future where all Indigenous communities have the fast and reliable internet access they need,” said Murray Rankin, Minister of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, in a statement. “These investments will enable the broader use of technology – from making video calls with friends and family, to remote learning or job training. This will open doors to new economic and social opportunities for people as we emerge from the pandemic.”
StrongerBC: BC’s Economic Recovery Plan is improving high-speed internet and expanding cellular coverage across highways in the provinces, to benefit people in rural and Indigenous communities. The Connecting BC program gained $90 million in funding in September 2020 from the provincial government, while the program itself is administered by Northern Development Initiative Trust.
