The government of Canada has agreed to match Alberta’s $390-million funding commitment in support of the Alberta Broadband Strategy (ABS) to bring new high-speed internet infrastructure to rural, remote and Indigenous communities in the province, officials said.
“Our investment has now unlocked a total of $780 million in public sector funding to help eliminate the digital divide,” said Service Alberta Minister Nate Glubish.
“With this additional funding agreement in place, we can focus on reviewing Alberta-focused applications to the Universal Broadband Fund, enabling us to get shovels in the ground this spring, bringing immediate relief to Alberta across the province.”
During a press conference Wednesday, federal Rural Economic Development Minister Gudie Hutchings said reliable connectivity is vital to rural communities across Canada, including in Alberta.
“More than 200,000 homes in rural and remote Alberta don’t have reliable connection to the internet,” said Hutchings. “It is crucial that we the close this connection gap, and ensure that every nook and cranny in Alberta has access to the internet.
“Access to affordable, reliable high-speed is essential, and your federal government really understands that. These are the kind of programs that are going to help our economy remain competitive and further expand our markets.”
The federal government will provide an addition $240 million in funding, on top of $150 million committed in December, to support rural Alberta connectivity, she said.
In budget 2022, the provincial government said it will spend $390 million over the next four years on the ASB.
The strategy will leverage both provincial and federal public funding with private investment, with options ranging from fibre and fixed wireless to low earth orbit (LEO) satellites, he said.
Glubish has said it will eventually cost $1 billion to connect the entire province.
Enhancing and improving connectivity in rural communities is vital to the overall Alberta economy, says Paul McLauchlin, president of Rural Municipalities of Alberta, and Cathy Heron, president of Alberta Municipalities.
John Carson is the NDP’s Service Alberta critic. He issued a release in response to Wednesday’s funding announcement
“This is the fourth announcement from the UCP on this issue since last summer, but they have not connected a single additional rural Alberta household to high-speed internet,” said Carson.
“These delays mean the UCP has already pushed back their timeline for connecting Albertans to this critical infrastructure. Instead of more talk and more delays from the UCP, we need to see real results, actual rural households connected to actual high-speed affordable internet.”
