Residents in Central Nova will benefit from faster Internet
Caption (Left to right): Municipality of the District of St. Mary’s District #3/5 – Councillor Kaytland Smith, District of St. Mary’s Warden Michael Mosher, Central Nova MP Sean Fraser, Blue Mountain Fire Department Chief Gregg MacDonald, County of Antigonish Owen McCarron, and John Beaton, Chief Executive Officer, Eastern Strait Regional Enterprise Network.
Residents in Central Nova will benefit from faster Internet
Residents in several communities to get access to new or faster Internet services thanks to $413,408 investment
July 26, 2018 – Blue Mountain, Nova Scotia
Internet access is more than just a convenience; communities, businesses and institutions need it to find information, offer services and create opportunities. That’s why the Government of Canada is investing over $413,000 to bring new or improved high-speed Internet services to MacPhersons Mills, Blue Mountain, the Garden of Eden areas, and additionally to the Goshen, West Lochaber, and North Lochaber areas.
The funding was announced today by Sean Fraser, Member of Parliament for Central Nova on behalf of the Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, at the Blue Mountain Fire Hall, one of the many communities that will benefit from these improved services.
The total project cost for the Goshen Fibre Backbone is $152,800, with $113,850 through the federal government’s Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, $28,000 through the Province of Nova Scotia, and $10,950 through Bell. The project will expand DSL broadband (Up to 7Mbps download to 225 new homes near the communities of North Lochaber and West Lochaber, with the project starting in 2020.
The total investment for the Thorburn Fibre Backbone is $400,410, with $299.558 through Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, $64,000 through the Province of Nova Scotia, and $46,852 through Bell. The project will expand DSL broadband (Up to 7Mbps download) to the communities MacPherson Mills, Blue Mountain, and Eden Lake, with an anticipated start date of 2020.
This investment will help residents of these communities connect with family and friends, do business online, participate in distance education and take advantage of the opportunities afforded by the digital age.
On May 4, the Government of Canada announced overall Connect to Innovate funding for Nova Scotia that will bring fibre optic networks to 64 communities and upgrade connectivity for 80 institutions.
The Government of Canada’s $500-million Connect to Innovate program is investing in building the digital backbone of high-speed Internet networks. Backbone networks are the digital highways that move data in and out of communities. These highways carry large amounts of data that are essential for schools, hospitals, libraries and businesses to function in a digital world.
“Access to high-speed Internet is not a luxury; it’s essential. High-speed Internet service is a basic tool that all Canadians should have access to, regardless of where they live. Our communities need this service to do business, upgrade their education and build stronger communities. Thanks to our Connect to Innovate program, more people will be able to participate fully in the digital economy.”
– The Honourable Navdeep Bains, Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development
“This is great news for constituents in my riding. It’s something I heard on the doorsteps during the campaign and I’ve been working to improve connectivity in rural communities from day one. It will help create greater employment and business opportunities, provide better access to online education, improve communications and access to media, and increase access to online goods and services.”
– Sean Fraser, Member of Parliament for Central Nova
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