The federal government has announced $269,000 in funding for Blue Sky Net to bring high-speed internet to the Wahnapitae First Nation community.
The project will connect 74 underserved households in the community, which is located northeast of Sudbury, Ontario.
This project is possible through the government’s Universal Broadband Fund’s Rapid Response Stream. The $1.75 billion fund was launched on November 9th and has made up to $150 million immediately available for ready-to-go projects through the rapid stream.
“High-speed internet service is key to the success of residents in rural regions of Ontario. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted to all of us how important it is to be able to access high-speed Internet,” said Rural Economic Development Minister Maryam Monsef, in a news release.
“It will help create jobs, increase health and safety, and ensure a stronger economic recovery for rural Ontarians. It is one of many projects our government is undertaking to ensure that every Canadian has access to the high-speed internet they need.”
The government has outlined that it plans to connect 98 percent of Canadians to high-speed internet by 2026, and 100 percent by 2030.
Applications for the universal broadband fund are being accepted until February 15th, 2021. It’s worth noting that the government provides a service to help applicants build partnerships and navigate the application process. This is to ensure that the fund can support smaller applicants, such as Indigenous groups.
Image credit: @MaryamMonsefMP
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