Ottawa- Cathy McLeod, Member of Parliament for Kamloops- Thompson- Cariboo today announced that 2,821 homes in her riding will get 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). Much of this will be completed by the time Canada celebrates its 150th anniversary in 2017.
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 (ISPs) 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.
Today, the Government is partnering with dozens of ISPs to build the necessary wireless or wired infrastructure across the country that will bring an additional 280,000 Canadian households high-speed Internet access. 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.
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.
“Today’s announcement marks the next important phase in our plan to bring the benefits of high-speed Internet to 280,000 Canadian households.
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,” said James Moore, Minister of Industry.
“Today’s broadband infrastructure announcement is great news for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo. The Connecting Canadians program demonstrates our Government’s commitment to delivering for rural Canadians,” concluded McLeod.