Canada and Alberta are expanding high-speed Internet access in the province

Investment from federal and provincial governments will bring high speed Internet to over 82,500 homes across Alberta

ARDROSSAN, AB, Jan. 30, 2026 /CNW/ – Reliable and affordable high-speed Internet is essential for all Canadians. It enables access to important online resources, connects friends and families, and drives economic growth and innovation.

Today, the Honourable Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State for Rural Development, together with the Honourable Nate Glubish, Minister of Technology and Innovation of Alberta, announced up to $224.78 million in combined federal and provincial funding for 26 projects to bring high–speed Internet access to 82,584 households in rural and remote communities across Alberta, including 1,634 Indigenous households. The governments of Canada and Alberta are contributing equal amounts toward these projects.

In addition to the jointly funded projects, the Government of Canada is investing over $24.5 million in Arrow Technology Group for one project that will reach 1,059 households in four communities across Alberta. This includes 676 Indigenous households. Only the Government of Canada is providing funding for this project.

This funding is part of an existing agreement between the governments of Canada and Alberta. On March 9, 2022, both governments announced a historic broadband partnership to invest up to $780 million to provide high–speed Internet access to Albertans in rural, remote and Indigenous communities. The governments of Canada and Alberta will continue to announce projects selected under this agreement over the coming months.

The Government of Canada’s investment is provided through the Universal Broadband Fund, a program designed to ensure that Canadians in rural, remote and Indigenous communities have access to reliable high-speed Internet. The program has also allocated up to $50 million in funding for mobile projects that primarily benefit Indigenous communities.

Better, more reliable connectivity means easier access to important online resources, bridging the digital divide and increasing safety for Indigenous communities.

The federal government remains on track to meet its goal of providing high-speed Internet access to 98% of Canadian households by the end of 2026, and 100% by 2030. With these investments, the government is helping to create new opportunities for rural and remote communities–ensuring that all Canadians, no matter where they live, have full access to high–speed Internet, enabling them to participate in the digital economy and benefit from everything Canada has to offer. 

Quotes 

“In today’s day and age, every corner of Alberta should have access to dependable, affordable high-speed Internet, whether that’s in Slave Lake or Beaver Mines. It’s how people access virtual health care, start a business or just stay in touch with their loved ones. That’s why we are committed to providing access to high-speed Internet to 100% of Canadian households by 2030. Today’s announcement is a tremendous milestone for that mission and for rural communities across Alberta as we help bring access to reliable high-speed Internet to over 82,000 underserved rural and remote households.”

– The Honourable Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State for Rural Development

“When we launched our broadband strategy, we set an ambitious goal: ensure every Albertan–no matter where they are in the province–has access to reliable, high–speed Internet. This latest batch of projects brings Alberta to over 95% of our goal and shows just how far we’ve come. We are following through on our commitment to universal connectivity, and as more homes are identified, we will keep pushing until the job is done.”

– The Honourable Nate Glubish, Minister of Technology and Innovation of Alberta

Quick facts

• Canada’s Connectivity Strategy aims to provide all Canadians with access to Internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download / 10 Mbps upload.
• The Universal Broadband Fund is a $3.225 billion investment by the Government of Canada designed to help provide high-speed Internet access to 98% of Canadian households by the end of 2026 and achieve the national target of 100% access by 2030.
• Today, 96.3% of Canadian households have access to high-speed Internet, compared to just 79% in 2014.
• In Alberta, 95.3% of households currently have access to high-speed Internet.
• Since 2015, the Government of Canada has invested more than $550 million in connectivity projects in Alberta.
• The Canada Infrastructure Bank has committed more than $2 billion toward broadband projects across Canada, allowing connectivity to expand at a quicker pace and larger scale.
• The Government of Canada has launched public consultations to gather input to develop a new Rural Development Action Plan. Canadians can have their say on the programs, policies and priorities that matter most to rural communities. Their insights will help shape a stronger, more resilient future for rural Canada.
• Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit and gender diverse people are more likely to go missing or be murdered than non-Indigenous women. Better connectivity means more tools in moments of danger, helping victims of violence access critical online resources and get help when they need it most.
• Building on the Building a Green Prairie Economy Act, the Government of Canada has recently launched the Prairie Partnership Initiative (PPI) to build a dynamic, sustainable and inclusive economy in the Prairie Provinces.

Associated links

• Rural economic development
• High-Speed Internet Access Dashboard
• Universal Broadband Fund
• Backgrounder: Universal Broadband Fund and Telesat low Earth orbit capacity agreement
• Canada Infrastructure Bank: Broadband
• High-Speed Access for All: Canada’s Connectivity Strategy
• Help shape the future of rural Canada – Moving from strategy to action
• National Broadband Map
• Federal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ People
• The Prairie Partnership Initiative

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SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada