The recent announcement of an additional $750 million for the universal broadband fund by the federal government is pleasing farmers.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau officially launched the Universal Broadband Fund on November 9, which was originally announced in the 2019 federal budget. The fund, now worth $1.75 billion, aims to provide high-speed Internet access to 98% of Canadians by 2026 and 100% by 2030.
In a bid to improve connectivity and expand high-speed Internet coverage to the far north, rural, and remote regions across Canada, Ottawa allocated $600 million of the fund to secure capacity on Telesat’s low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network.
“These are ambitious targets and we’re ready to meet them,” Trudeau says.
Amandeep Singh, a blueberry grower in the Fraser Valley, welcomed the announcement.
“A large number of farmers have relied on technology in this pandemic as meetings of various farm organizations were held online. Producers will reap benefits of the technology in future,” he says.
The Canadian Federation of Agriculture also lauded this initiative.
“With COVID-19 pushing many services to only be available online, rural broadband is a problem that can no longer be ignored,” says CFA president Mary Robinson. “Not only is this technology crucial for modern business, it is essential to attracting the next generation of farmers who see high-speed connectivity as an essential service for every day life.”
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