The federal and Quebec governments along with Bell have completed a project to bring high-speed internet to the Saguenay–Lac-Saint-Jean region.
The three parties invested $2.5 million to connect 1,650 households in the region. Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada has announced that the project is now complete and that residents in the communities of L’Anse-Saint-Jean, Sainte-Rose-du-Nord, Saint-Félicien and Saint-Ambroise can benefit from reasonably priced internet service.
It’s worth noting that this infrastructure project was part of a larger intergovernmental initiative to provide connectivity to up to 24,000 households in 58 regions in Quebec.
Government funding for this project came from the $585 million Connect to Innovate program, which aims to increase high-speed internet access across the country.
“The COVID-19 crisis has shown us how important it is to be able to access the digital world,” said National Revenue Minister Diane Lebouthillier, in a news release.
“By investing in these projects through the Connect to Innovate program, we are continuing to bridge the digital divide so Quebecers in the regions can also benefit from all the advantages the digital world has to offer.”
The government notes that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has increased the need for reliable internet, especially for Canadians living in rural communities.
This comes as The federal and Quebec governments along with Bell recently completed a project to bring high-speed internet to Saint-Gabriel-de-Valcartier.