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Broadband Program
New in Canada's Economic Action Plan
Through Canada's Economic Action Plan, the federal government is providing $225 million over three years to Industry Canada to develop and implement a strategy for extending broadband coverage to all underserved communities beginning in 2009–10. This proposed spending reflects the government's commitment to closing the broadband gap in Canada by encouraging the private development of rural broadband infrastructure.
About the Program
The Broadband Program is a new initiative that will provide federal funding via a contribution program to increase the availability of broadband Internet services to Canadian households within defined geographic service areas. It is estimated that 93 per cent of Canadian households currently have access to a minimum of 1.5-Mbps connectivity. The remaining 7 per cent are considered unserved (no access to the Internet or dial-up service only) or underserved (have broadband speeds of less than 1.5 Mbps) and live in remote and rural regions of Canada. The allocated budget will be used to connect as many of these households as possible to broadband services.
The federal government will provide up to 50 per cent of project costs for organizations that apply and are selected to deploy broadband infrastructure and services within a defined geographic service area. The other 50 per cent of costs, or more, will be borne by the applicants.
Closing the broadband gap in rural and remote Canada will be a sound economic investment, and will provide rural households, businesses and community institutions with Internet service levels comparable to those enjoyed by many urban counterparts. Investments in broadband infrastructure will not only enhance communities' competitiveness but will also create higher value-added jobs and make new business models possible.
How It Works
Following an intensive mapping process that will take place from April to June 2009, the Broadband Program will define geographic service areas and issue a call for applications to connect unserved and underserved Canadians living within these specific geographic areas. Part of the mapping will include the identification of areas that will become served through existing provincial/territorial or private sector initiatives, to ensure that the federal program is complementary to existing efforts. Applications will then be evaluated against a number of selection criteria, including cost and number of households served. Federal funding will be available from fiscal year 2009–10 until the end of the program in 2011–12.
Who Is Eligible
Eligible recipients will be the Canadian private sector, not-for profit organizations as well as provincial or territorial entities that can demonstrate expertise and capability in managing and implementing broadband networks.
How to Find Out More
For more information, please visit the Industry Canada website.
For more information on the Economic Action Plan initiatives, follow the links below:
