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MP Bryan Hayes announces major investment that will bring high-speed Internet services to 2580 homes in the Sault area

Everyday tasks that were once done in person, such as shopping, communicating, learning and banking, are now done online. To help Canadians have better access to these and many other online services, Bryan Hayes, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie and area, today announced that 2580 homes in his 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.

Quick facts

 

  • Connecting Canadians delivers on the Government of Canada’s commitment in Economic Action Plan 2014 to bring high-speed Internet access to an additional 280,000 Canadian households in rural and remote regions of the country.
  • Successful Internet service providers will be expected to provide services at speeds of at least 5 Mbps to rural Canadians that currently have slower or no Internet access.
  • The first projects are expected to be completed by the time Canada celebrates the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017.
  • Industry Canada received over 300 applications to the Connecting Canadians program from Internet service providers across Canada.
  • Connecting Canadians is a key commitment under Digital Canada 150, the Government of Canada’s plan to help Canadians take full advantage of the opportunities of the digital age.
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