Historic Agreement Brings High-Speed Internet to Rural Communities in Newfoundland and Labrador

The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, and Yvonne Jones, Member of Parliament for Labrador, announced joint federal and provincial funding for Bell Canada to bring high-speed Internet access to 694 households in the rural communities of Charlottetown, Lodge Bay, Marys Harbour, Port Hope Simpson, and Red Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador. This investment is part of a $136 million agreement between the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Government of Canada to support high-speed Internet projects connecting all remaining rural households in the province.

Key Takeaways:

• The combined federal and provincial funding will bring high-speed Internet access to 694 households in 5 rural communities in Newfoundland and Labrador, making significant progress towards closing the connectivity gap in the province.
• The historic agreement between the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Government of Canada is a joint investment of up to $136 million to support high-speed Internet projects, aiming to connect all remaining rural households in the province.
• The investment is expected to create jobs, improve access to healthcare, online learning services, and enhance safety while keeping residents connected to their loved ones.
• The Government of Canada has set a national target of connecting 98% of Canadians by 2026 and 100% by 2030, and investments like this will help achieve this goal.
• The project is part of a larger initiative to advance how Canadians connect with each other and the world, with Bell being the largest investor in network infrastructure in the country.
• The partnership between the governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador recognizes the importance of access to high-speed Internet for the economic recovery from the pandemic and the economic growth of the entire province.

Statistics:

• $136 million: The joint federal and provincial investment to support high-speed Internet projects in Newfoundland and Labrador.
• 694: The number of households that will gain access to high-speed Internet as a result of the funding.
• 5: The number of rural communities in Newfoundland and Labrador that will benefit from the project.
• 2026: The target year for the Government of Canada to connect 98% of Canadians with high-speed Internet.
• 100%: The target year for the Government of Canada to connect all Canadians with high-speed Internet.
• 2022: The year in which the historic agreement between the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Government of Canada was announced.

Sources:

• The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development
• Yvonne Jones, Member of Parliament for Labrador
• The Honourable Lisa Dempster, Newfoundland and Labrador Minister Responsible for Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation and Minister Responsible for Labrador Affairs
• The Honourable Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
• Glen LeBlanc, Bell CFO and Vice Chair, Atlantic Canada
• Euclid Infotech Pvt. Ltd.
• Contify.com