High-speed Internet Coming to Approximately 2,500 Households in Miramichi, Over 19,000 Households Across New Brunswick

MIRAMICHI, NEW BRUNSWICK--(Marketwired - July 30, 2015) - Industry Canada

Everyday tasks that were once done in person, such as shopping, communicating, learning and banking, are now done online. To help Canadian communities, businesses and families have better access to these and many other online opportunities, the Honourable Ed Holder, Minister of State (Science and Technology), and Tilly O'Neill Gordon, Member of Parliament for Miramichi, today announced that the Government of Canada will invest up to $5.99 million to connect over 19,000 homes across New Brunswick to faster Internet services.

Minister of State Holder and Ms. O'Neill Gordon highlighted that more than 2,500 households in the Miramichi area will benefit from the investment announced today. Funding will be provided to two recipients: Bell Aliant and Xplornet. Bell Aliant will receive $3.07 million to connect more than 3,300 homes across the province, and Xplornet will receive $2.92 million to connect more than 16,000. All broadband infrastructure projects in New Brunswick are expected to be completed by July 1, 2017, delivering Internet download speeds of at least five megabits per second (Mbps).

For all Canadians, the Internet is a tool that spurs economic growth, broadens opportunities, and connects friends and family from coast to coast to coast. For Canadians who live in communities with slow or no Internet, access to high-speed services will lead to new economic opportunities and the creation of new jobs, products and services.

By Canada's 150th birthday in 2017, over 98 percent of Canadian households will be able to subscribe to new or improved high-speed Internet services, which helps deliver on the Government's commitment to rural Canadians.

Quick facts

• The households to be connected in the Miramichi area under today's announcement are in the following communities and surrounding areas: Barnaby River, Barryville, Bartibog Bridge, Blissfield, Holtville, Miramichi, Napan, Neguac and Rogersville.
• Communities across New Brunswick that will benefit from today's announcement include, but are not limited to, Bathurst, Caraquet, Dieppe, Edmunston, Fredericton, Gagetown, Grand Manan, Moncton, Oromocto, Saint John and Shediac.
• Through Economic Action Plan 2014, the Government of Canada created the Connecting Canadians program, backed by a $305-million commitment to connect an additional 280,000 households in rural and remote regions of the country to high-speed Internet services at minimum speeds of 5 Mbps.
• The Government has exceeded its Economic Action Plan 2014 target by over 75,000 households in the first round of project approvals, bringing high-speed Internet access to more than 356,000 homes across Canada, and nearly 40 percent under budget.
• Last summer, the Government invited Canadians to provide feedback online to help better determine areas in need of high-speed Internet access. Once information was received, Industry Canada invited Internet service providers to submit proposals for funding under Connecting Canadians to build the wireless or wired infrastructure that will provide services to rural and remote communities in need.
• The first projects are expected to be completed by the time Canada celebrates the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017.
• Industry Canada received over 300 applications to the Connecting Canadians program from Internet service providers across Canada.
• Every province and territory across the country will benefit from the Connecting Canadians program. Announcements of individual projects will be made throughout the summer.

Quotes

"For most Canadians, access to affordable and reliable broadband networks is an important part of everyday life. Our government is committed to ensuring that Canadians in rural and remote regions of the country have the affordable broadband services they require to meet their everyday needs. Modernizing Canada's broadband infrastructure will benefit Canadians and contribute to the country's continued economic growth."

- Ed Holder, Minister of State (Science and Technology)

"Our government understands that Canadians in the Miramichi area and across New Brunswick need to be connected to high-speed Internet for work, home use and health care. Through today's Connecting Canadians announcement, more than 2,500 households and businesses in the Miramichi area and over 19,000 across New Brunswick will have the high-speed Internet connections that create prosperity and opportunity in our communities."

- Tilly O'Neill Gordon, Member of Parliament for Miramichi

"We're proud to partner with the Government of Canada through Connecting Canadians to continue to improve rural broadband in New Brunswick, part of our commitment to investing in new broadband infrastructure across Atlantic Canada. We look forward to providing residents of these communities with access to our high-speed network and the economic and social opportunities it will enable."

- Dan McKeen, Vice-Chair and Senior Vice-President, Residential Services, Bell Aliant

"We are thrilled to work alongside the Government of Canada toward our shared goal of getting Canada more connected by providing fast and affordable high-speed Internet services to rural Canadians. For communities across New Brunswick, we will be able to accelerate the build of our fixed wireless broadband infrastructure so that residents can experience everything the Internet has to offer."

- Bill Macdonald, Vice-President of Business Development, Xplornet Communications Inc.

"The Miramichi Valley Business Association is pleased to support this initiative to provide high-speed Internet to our rural communities. It will increase our ability to do business on the Internet in this technologically advanced business world and provide the opportunity for expansion."

- Lorne Amos, Board Chair and CEO, Miramichi Valley Business Association

Related product

- Backgrounder (http://media3.marketwire.com/docs/1019531be.pdf)

Associated link

- Connecting Canadians website

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