9 hours ago
Government of Canada expanding high-speed Internet access in Saskatchewan Français
Federal investment of up to $105 million will connect more than 6,500 homes
PRINCE ALBERT, SK, July 4, 2025 /CNW/ - Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Reliable and affordable high-speed Internet is essential for all Canadians. It enables access to important online resources, connects friends and families, and drives economic growth and innovation.
Today, the Honourable Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State (Rural Development), announced up to $105 million in federal funding for three high-speed Internet projects being delivered by Saskatchewan Telecommunications (SaskTel). These projects will bring high-speed Internet access to 6,522 households in 35 rural and remote communities across central and northern Saskatchewan, including over 4,800 Indigenous households.
The Government of Canada's investment is provided through the Universal Broadband Fund, a program designed to ensure that Canadians in rural, remote and Indigenous communities have access to reliable high-speed Internet.
The government remains on track to meet its goal of providing high-speed Internet to 98% of Canadian households by 2026, and 100% by 2030. With these investments, the government is helping to create new opportunities for rural and remote communities—ensuring that all Canadians, no matter where they live, can fully participate in the digital economy and benefit from everything Canada has to offer.
Quotes
"In today's day and age, every corner of Saskatchewan should have access to reliable, affordable high-speed Internet—whether that's in Sweetgrass or all the way in Black Lake. Today's announcement of up to $105 million in new funding to connect 6,522 rural households in the province is a major milestone for Saskatchewan. Investments like these create jobs, improve access to health care and online learning services, and keep us connected to our loved ones."
– The Honourable Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State (Rural Development)
"The Government of Saskatchewan appreciates the federal government's investment to help expand connectivity across the province. These funds will add to the nearly $1 billion that SaskTel has invested to bring fibre-powered Internet connectivity to communities throughout Saskatchewan. These investments are strengthening our communities by delivering the high–speed Internet that families and businesses need to thrive in today's increasingly connected economy."
– The Honourable Jeremy Harrison, Minister of Crown Investments Corporation and Minister Responsible for SaskTel
"We at SaskTel, Saskatchewan's homegrown communications leader, understand the incredible impact that high-quality and reliable Internet services can have on a home, business and community. We're thrilled to utilize funding from the Universal Broadband Fund to bring the incredible speed and power of our infiNET network to residents and businesses in more than 30 northern and Indigenous communities. For SaskTel, this initiative is not just about delivering fast Internet speeds—it's about supporting local businesses, empowering students, strengthening communities and enriching the lives of our customers."
– Charlene Gavel, President and CEO, SaskTel
Quick facts
Funding for this project was initially highlighted in June 2024. Today's announcement provides details of the 35 Saskatchewan communities that will benefit from improved Internet speeds.
Canada's Connectivity Strategy aims to provide all Canadians with access to Internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download / 10 Mbps upload.
The Universal Broadband Fund is a $3.225 billion investment by the Government of Canada designed to help provide high-speed Internet access to 98% of Canadian households by 2026 and achieve the national target of 100% access by 2030.
Today, 95.8% of Canadian households have access to high-speed Internet, compared to just 79% in 2014.
In Saskatchewan, 84.4% of households currently have access to high-speed Internet.
Since 2015, the Government of Canada has invested more than $215 million in connectivity projects in Saskatchewan.
Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender diverse people are more likely to go missing or be murdered than non-Indigenous women. Better connectivity means more tools in moments of danger, helping victims of violence access critical online resources and get help when they need it most.
The Government of Canada works in partnership with Internet service providers (ISP) to offer discounted Internet services to eligible Canadians through the Connecting Families Initiative. SaskTel is a participating ISP.
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