Today, the governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador announced an investment of up to C$94 million to provide high speed internet access to 36,000 homes and 350 rural, remote, and Indigenous communities across the eastern province.
Bell and Xplore will be responsible for connecting these homes and communities by December 2025 and March 2026, respectively.
Today’s announcement is part of an existing historic agreement between the governments of Canada and Newfoundland and Labrador, announced in February 2022, to invest up to C$136 million to connect all remaining rural, remote, and Indigenous homes throughout the province to high-speed internet.
Since 2015, the government of Canada has invested over C$146 million in connectivity projects in Newfoundland and Labrador.
“We all know that internet is no longer a luxury in this day and age—it’s a necessity. That’s why our federal government made a historic commitment to connect 98 per cent of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians to high-speed Internet by 2026, and 100 per cent by 2030,” said Minister of Rural Economic Development Gudie Hutchings.
So far, 93.5 per cent of Canadian homes have access to high-speed Internet or are targeted to receive access through existing program commitments.
Residents can track the progress of the broadband project in their communities, see its estimated completion date, and more, through canada.ca/rural.