High-Speed Internet Coming to Communities in Rural Manitoba

LA BROQUERIE, MANITOBA--(Marketwired - May 20, 2015) -

Everyday tasks that were once done in person, such as shopping, communicating, learning and banking, are now done online. To help Canadians have better access to these and many other online services, Treasury Board President Tony Clement and Ted Falk, Member of Parliament for Provencher, were in La Broquerie, Manitoba, today to announce that approximately 4,500 homes in Provencher will soon benefit from access to high-speed Internet services.

The Government of Canada is delivering on its commitment to rural Canadians to connect an additional 280,000 households in rural and remote regions of the country to high-speed Internet at minimum speeds of five megabits per second (Mbps).

Today, the Harper Government announced it exceeded that target by over 75,000 households in the first round of partnership approvals, bringing high-speed Internet access to more than 356,000 homes across Canada at an average speed of over 5 Mbps. 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, delivering on the Harper Government's commitment to Canadians.

Last summer, the Government completed the first step, inviting Canadians to provide feedback online to help better determine areas in need of high-speed Internet access. Once information was received from individual Canadians and governments across the country, Industry Canada invited Internet service providers to submit proposals for funding under Connecting Canadians to build wireless or wired infrastructure that will provide services to rural and remote communities in need.

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.

Quick facts

• Connecting Canadians delivers on the Government of Canada's commitment in Economic Action Plan 2014 to bring high-speed Internet access to an additional 280,000 Canadian households in rural and remote regions of the country.
• 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 spring and summer.

Quotes

"Today's announcement marks the next important phase in our government's plan to bring the benefits of high-speed Internet to communities in rural and remote regions across the country. Providing Canadians with access to high-speed Internet for learning, business opportunities and so much more is key to creating a more connected, digital Canada."

- Tony Clement, President of the Treasury Board

"Today's broadband infrastructure announcement is great news for Provencher. The Harper Government understands the importance of high-speed Internet access for communities like ours. Connecting Canadians demonstrates the Government's commitment to delivering for rural Canadians."

- Ted Falk, Member of Parliament for Provencher

Associated link

- Connecting Canadians website

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