Alberta government bringing high-speed Internet access to more rural homes

Livingstone-Macleod MLA Evan Berger
C. Davis photo

Evan Berger, MLA
Livingstone-Macleod
Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development

The Alberta government is continuing to deliver on its promise to bring Internet access to more rural households in the province. Increasingly high-speed Internet is becoming an essential service for all Albertans, no matter where they live. In rural communities, connecting online is a vital way for families to stay in touch, agricultural producers to rapidly reach new markets, and students to access a world of knowledge.


We committed $10.5 million in March toward two key phases of our government’s rural Internet strategy. Funding will be put toward work to provide high-speed Internet to an estimated 43,600 rural households currently without service using satellite, wireless and other technology.

To further this goal we established a $5 million Rural Community Program in January to support local governments that plan to provide high-speed Internet in their communities.

Phase two of the plan is a proposed $900,000 partnership with Xplornet Communications to ensure satellite Internet service is affordable to Albertans living in remote areas. Residents will not have to pay distance charges for equipment to be installed and will get a $50 reduction in Internet installation and activation fees when they subscribe. Eligible Albertans may be able to access satellite Internet services at a reduced cost as soon mid-May. A Notice of Proposed Procurement outlining the suggested partnership with Xplornet Communications will be available online this week.

The third phase of the plan will involve working with Internet service providers to add infrastructure such as towers and fibre optic cable to the remainder of unserved areas in rural Alberta.

Completion of these phases will bring us closer to the goal of ensuring high-speed Internet is available to at least 98 per cent of Albertans.

For information on the Final Mile Rural Connectivity Initiative, contact my constituency office at 403-553-2400 or 1-800-565-0962.

Final Mile Rural Connectivity Initiative Background:

The Final Mile Rural Connectivity Initiative (FMRCI) is the Alberta government’s strategy to ensure reliable, high-speed Internet is available to at least 98 per cent of Albertans. About 43,600 rural Alberta households are currently without access to high-speed Internet service.

Alberta’s SuperNet program was a major step in expanding the reach of the Internet throughout the province, connecting schools, hospitals, libraries and other public facilities to the Internet in 429 urban and rural communities. Private sector Internet service providers have taken advantage of the SuperNet’s infrastructure to offer access to residents and businesses in more than 260 communities.

The goal of FMRCI is to close most of the remaining gaps where service is still unavailable.

Phase 1
The first phase of the FMRCI was announced in January by Service Alberta Minister Manmeet Bhullar, and Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Evan Berger. The Alberta government is committing $5 million to support municipalities, First Nations and Metis Settlements that have plans ready to deliver high-speed Internet access to their communities. Called the Rural Community Program, this funding will provide up to 75 per cent of eligible project costs to help pay for needed infrastructure such as towers and fibre optic cable, installation costs, and other related expenses.

Phase 2
Phase two is the proposed $900,000 partnership with Xplornet Communications to reduce the cost of accessing high-speed satellite Internet for rural Albertans in remote areas. The agreement would ensure residents do not pay distance charges for equipment installation and reduce Internet installation and activation fees by $50 for each household that signs up for service. A Notice of Proposed Procurement outlining the suggested partnership with Xplornet Communications will be available online this week.
 
Phase 3
For phase three, the government is working with Internet service providers to add infrastructure to the remainder of unserved areas in rural Alberta with the goal of expanding the reach of high-speed Internet in these areas. A Request for Comments with draft bidding guidelines will be posted by March 23. Tenders for service will be released later this year through an open and competitive procurement process following the Request For Comments. The Alberta government has committed $9.5 million to support this phase of the initiative.

Phase 4
An 'Infill Program' will be developed to provide service to rural Albertans located in served rural areas who still cannot access high-speed Internet in their area (perhaps due to terrain challenges, tree lines, technology limitations, etc.).