Ottawa has announced additional funding to connect more rural communities to high-speed internet.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau made the announcement in Oromocto, N.B., on Tuesday.
Trudeau said a $475-million top-up to the University Broadband Fund will help connect 60,000 rural homes across Canada.
“Since 2019, we’ve been making transformative investments to connect communities across Canada through the Universal Broadband Fund. Our goal is to connect every community in every province and territory to high-speed internet.”
The government plans to connect 98 per cent of Canadians with high-speed internet by 2026.
Trudeau added the government is on track to beat that goal ahead of time.
Currently, 93.5 per cent of homes have access to high-speed internet or are targeted to receive access through existing commitments.
“We’re building an economy that works for all Canadians, and that means no matter where you live you can be a full part of Canada’s growing economy and benefit from the opportunities that lie ahead,” he said.
Trudeau also announced up to $17.6 million, on top of the previously announced $55 million in federal funding, to provide high-speed internet access to more than 27,000 homes in New Brunswick.
The expansion, he said, will ensure every home in the province has high-speed internet access by 2030.
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