Investing $2b in high-speed internet for Canadians

eAwazLocal News

Toronto – High-speed internet access is more essential than ever to keep Canadians connected. Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance, highlighted that the Canada Infrastructure Bank (CIB) has invested more than $2 billion in eight internet service providers. This investment is supporting high-speed internet projects, connecting 430,000 more rural and remote Canadians households.

Through the CIB’s partnerships with Canadian internet service providers and public sector partners, this $2 billion investment is already expanding and accelerating the deployment of high-speed internet in unserved and underserved communities across Canada.

The CIB’s partnerships are connecting Indigenous, rural, and remote regions to high-speed internet services which would otherwise not be commercially viable due to the high cost of connection per household in these areas. The lack of required infrastructure and low population density often mean high-speed expansion is financially unfeasible for rural and remote communities.

The federal government is building a fairer Canada, where every generation can reach their full potential—and high-speed internet access is essential to participate in today’s digital economy.

“Everyone deserves access to high-speed internet regardless of where you live. Our government is helping to expand high-speed internet so that all Canadians have better access to the online services they need. No matter where in our great, vast country Canadians live, it is essential to reaching their full potential.” – Chrystia Freeland, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance

“Providing high-speed and reliable internet access to rural, remote, and Indigenous communities is incredibly important as it helps ensure that they can continue growing from strength to strength in our increasingly digital world. CIB’s collaboration with Canadian internet service providers is doing just that. Today’s announcement marks an incredible milestone towards ensuring that all communities from coast to coast to coast have the same, equal, opportunities for success.”  – Sean Fraser,
Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

“Reliable, high-speed internet is not a luxury, it’s a necessity. Your federal government is making sure internet is available in small, rural, remote and Indigenous communities from coast to coast to coast. This ensures that every community, every business, and every person can grow their potential in this digital world.” – Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency