In today’s internet-driven world, reliable, fast internet access is not a nice to have, it’s an essential need. With the completion of this phase of funding through the Universal Broadband Fund, 83,000 more homes around the province will now have access to reliable high-speed internet.
Alberta’s urban centres have always been the focus for high-speed internet access, but that same advantage needs to be given to our rural communities, and this batch of projects addresses the needs of rural Albertans.
“When we launched our broadband strategy, we set an ambitious goal: ensure every Albertan – no matter where they are in the province – has access to reliable, high-speed internet. This latest batch of projects brings Alberta to over 95 per cent of our goal and it shows just how far we’ve come. We are following through on our commitment to universal connectivity, and as more homes are identified, we will keep pushing until the job is done.”
Nate Glubish, Minister of Technology and Innovation, Government of Alberta
Since the strategy’s launch, the Alberta and federal governments have invested over $622 million into 81 projects that have connected more than 135,000 homes. Fourteen broadband projects have completed construction, 44 others are in progress, and another 24 are in planning.
“In today’s day and age, every corner of Alberta should have access to reliable, affordable high-speed internet, whether that’s in Slave Lake or Beaver Mines. Today’s announcement is a major milestone, and investments like these make a real difference in people’s lives, creating jobs, improving access to health care and online learning services, and keeping us connected to our loved ones.”
Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State (Rural Development), Government of Canada
The latest 27 projects involve various partners, who are expanding service across dozens of municipalities and the Woodland Cree First Nation, which is building a fibre-to-the-home network for Cadotte Lake.
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