The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how much we rely on high-speed internet connections.
Now more than ever, Canadians across the country need access to reliable high-speed internet for work, learning and staying in touch with friends and family.
Many Canadians living in rural and remote communities lack access to high- speed Internet. Through the Universal Broadband Fund’s (UBF) Rapid Response Stream, the federal government is taking action to get Canadians connected to the high-speed internet they need.
The federal government has announced close to $125,000 in funding for Bell to bring high-speed internet to rural residents of Preston Lake, Lemonville and Locust Hill.
These projects will connect 144 underserved households to high-speed internet: 115 households in Lemonville (Bell, $84,000) and 29 households in the heritage community of Locust Hill (Bell, $40,800).
“On behalf of the Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville, I would like to thank MP Jaczek and the Federal government for this much needed funding,” Mayor Iain Lovatt said. “I applaud Bell’s efforts to partner with the communities of Lemonville who have been advocating for improved internet connectivity for quite some time.”
Projects funded under the UBF, as well as through other public and private investments, will help connect 98 per cent of Canadians to high-speed internet by 2026 and 100 per cent by 2030.
“Canadians depend on connectivity for work, education, access to health services, and to remain connected with loved ones,” Jaczek said. “Connectivity is also essential for Canada’s economic success. There are communities across Canada—including areas of Markham-Stouffville–that cannot access high-speed internet. Our government is working hard to close that connectivity gap.”
The Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) is a $1.75-billion investment designed to help connect all Canadians to high-speed Internet.
The UBF is part of a suite of federal investments to improve high-speed Internet. The suite includes the Connect to Innovate program, which is expected to connect nearly 400,000 households by 2023, and the recently announced $2-billion broadband initiative from the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
Photo: “There are communities across Canada—including areas of Markham-Stouffville–that cannot access high-speed internet,” MP Jaczek said. “Our government is working hard to close that connectivity gap.”
