Governments of Canada and British Columbia have today announced funding of up to $24.7 million to bring high-speed internet access to over 5,000 households in rural communities in British Columbia.
As part of this announcement, $19.5 million in federal-provincial co-funding was announced to benefit 4,000 households in the following regional districts
Details on these projects, including the specific communities to be served, will be announced at a later date.
A further $5.2 million in federal and provincial funding will bring high-speed Internet access to over 1,100 households on and around Vancouver Island through 7 projects with CityWest.
“We all know that Internet is no longer a luxury in this day and age—it’s a necessity. Access to fast, reliable Internet helps communities by levelling the playing field so they can access essential services like health care and education, participate in the digital economy, or simply connect with loved ones,” said Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, in a statement to iPhone in Canada.
“Our government will continue to work side by side with our partners to achieve our connectivity targets and ensure every Canadian, no matter where they live, has access to high-speed Internet by 2030,” added Hutchings.
Since 2015, the Government of Canada has invested more than $523 million in connectivity projects in British Columbia.
Today’s announcement builds on the Government of Canada’s progress toward making sure that 98% of Canadians have access to high-speed Internet by 2026, and 100% by 2030.
