Today, the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, along with the Honourable Lisa Beare, Minister of Citizens’ Services of British Columbia, announced a historic partnership that will provide up to $830 million to connect all remaining rural households in British Columbia to reliable, high-speed Internet.

Under this plan, both levels of governments will contribute up to $415 million, for a total combined funding of $830 million to connect the entire province of British Columbia. Both governments of Canada and British Columbia will work with local communities, including Indigenous communities, to achieve the national target of connecting 98% of Canadians by 2026 and 100% by 2030.

Through this partnership, the governments of Canada and British Columbia will work with local and Indigenous communities to achieve the national target of connecting 98% of Canadians by 2026, and 100% by 2030.

We need to close the connection gap and ensure that every nook and cranny of British Columbia has access to reliable high-speed Internet – whether that’s from Masset to Keats Island, from Dease Lake to Lillooet, or from Hendrix or Port Alice. We are getting Canadians connected.

This agreement represents a plan to connect all remaining underserved households in British Columbia, which is just over 115,000 households.

The governments of Canada and British Columbia recognize the important role access to high-speed Internet will have in economic recovery following the pandemic. Collaborating to provide better Internet services to British Columbians living in rural, remote, and northern communities will contribute to the economic growth of the entire province.

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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 (UBF) is a $2.75 billion investment by the Government of Canada designed to help connect 98% of Canadians to high-speed Internet by 2026 and achieve the national target of 100% connectivity by 2030. Only the hardest to reach households may take until 2030.

The UBF is part of a suite of federal investments to improve high-speed Internet. Find out more on the High-speed Internet for all of Canada page.