Rural communities to benefit from increased connectivity to high-speed Internet
Vulcan – All Canadians need reliable and affordable high-speed Internet, no matter where they live. That is why the governments of Canada and Alberta are taking action to bring high-speed Internet access to underserved communities across Alberta.
Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, together with Nate Glubish, Alberta’s Minister of Technology and Innovation, announced over $96 million in combined federal and provincial funding for 14 projects to bring high-speed Internet access to more than 10,000 homes in 46 rural and remote communities across Alberta. This includes nearly 2,300 Indigenous households.
The funding is part of an existing agreement between Canada and Alberta. On March 9, 2022, both governments announced a historic partnership to invest up to $780 million to provide high-speed Internet access to Albertans in rural, remote and Indigenous communities. The governments of Canada and Alberta will continue to announce projects selected under this agreement over the coming months.
Today’s announcement builds on the Government of Canada’s progress toward ensuring that 98% of Canadians have access to high-speed Internet by 2026, and 100% by 2030. The announcement also brings the Government of Alberta closer to achieving its goal of bringing reliable high-speed Internet access to every community in the province by the end of the 2026–27 fiscal year.
“We all know that Internet is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity. That’s why our government made a historic commitment to connect 98% of Canadians to high-speed Internet by 2026. Today’s announcement in Vulcan marks a significant milestone for Internet connectivity in rural Alberta. This investment will provide reliable high-speed Internet access to more than 10,000 underserved homes in 46 rural and remote communities in Alberta.” – Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development