The Alberta government says it will provide $9.7 million to leverage the federal government’s Broadband Canada: Connecting Rural Canadians program, which will bring broadband Internet access to an estimated 41,000 rural Alberta households.
In May 2010, Industry Canada awarded a contract to Corridor Communications Inc. to build and operate broadband infrastructure in five rural and remote areas in Alberta. The matching funds from the province provides the Government of Alberta with the use of 25 telecommunications towers at no additional operating costs for 20 years and may be used by the new Alberta first responder radio system.
The province’s funding commitment also ensures that Internet Service Providers in Alberta will have access to the towers at competitive market-based rates.
In a release, the province said that it is working with the Alberta Association of Municipal Districts and Counties and the Alberta Urban Municipalities Association to assess remaining gaps in service. When the assessment is complete, additional programs or initiatives will be introduced.
