Siksika Nation is among 50 communities to receive broadband funding, through provincial and federal government investments.
An investment of $70.6 million is being used to connect more than 10,400 homes across the province to high-speed internet, a government of Alberta media release said.
“Alberta’s government is committed to eliminating the digital divide and ensuring that all Albertans have access to reliable, high-speed internet,” the release said.
The funding is the first investment by the provincial and federal governments for projects that qualify for the Universal Broadband Fund (UBF).
“Improving access to high-speed internet is one of the most powerful things we can do to support rural, remote and Indigenous communities across Alberta. A reliable internet connection unlocks access to the essential services we rely on every day, supporting everything from online learning to better home health care. Today’s announcement is just the first of many to come and represents another step towards our goal of ensuring universal connectivity for all families and businesses in Alberta,” Minister of Service Nate Glubish said.
The broadband funding achieves the provincial government’s goal of universal connectivity and is part of Alberta’s Broadband Strategy to improve high-speed internet access in rural, remote, and Indigenous communities.
“Alberta’s government thanks the federal government for their matching funding commitments,” the release said. “Together, the governments of Canada and Alberta have committed $780 million to eliminate the digital divide in Alberta.”
Alberta’s Broadband Strategy is expected to create up to 1,500 jobs. With universal coverage and services, the provincial government is expecting up to $1.7 billion in annual gross domestic product (GDP) growth, up to five per cent GDP growth in the agricultural sector, improved access to telehealth for up to 40,000 Albertans, and improved access to virtual education for more than 120,000 students.
Data collected during the development of the Alberta Broadband Strategy estimated that about 80 per cent of Indigenous communities and 67 per cent of rural and remote communities do not have access to reliable, high-speed internet.
About 489,000 Albertans living in 201,000 households lack access to federal target speeds of 50 megabits per second (Mbps) for downloads and 10 Mbps for uploads, the release said.
“We all know that the internet is no longer a luxury in this day and age, it’s a necessity. We need to close the connectivity gap and ensure that every nook and cranny of Alberta have access to reliable high-speed Internet. This announcement to connect over 10,400 households, including more than 2,700 Indigenous households, is great news for Albertans,” federal Minister of Rural Economic Development Gudie Hutchings said.
