$21.7 million to bring high-speed Internet access to over 5,300 households in the Capitale-Nationale region by September 2022

QUÉBEC, July 14, 2021 /CNW/ - Thanks to a total investment of $21.7 million, made as part of Canada–Quebec Operation High Speed, 5,320 households in the Capitale-Nationale region will have access to Vidéotron high-speed Internet services by September 2022.

The announcement was made today by the Honourable Jean-Yves Duclos, President of the Treasury Board and Member of Parliament for Québec; Joël Lightbound, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and Member of Parliament for Louis-Hébert; Geneviève Guilbault, Deputy Premier of Quebec, Minister of Public Security and Minister Responsible for the Capitale-Nationale Region; Gilles Bélanger, Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier of Quebec (high-speed Internet) and Member of the National Assembly for Orford; Éric Caire, Minister for Government Digital Transformation, Minister Responsible for Access to Information and the Protection of Personal Information, and Member of the National Assembly for La Peltrie; Émilie Foster, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Higher Education and Member of the National Assembly for Charlevoix–Côte-de-Beaupré; Vincent Caron, Member of the National Assembly for Portneuf; and Pierre Karl Péladeau, President and CEO of Quebecor.

Vidéotron will receive a combined amount of $19.7 million from the two levels of government to support the deployment of high-speed Internet services to 5,320 households in the municipalities listed in the annex. The total cost of the project is $21.7 million. Over the next few weeks, Vidéotron will take an inventory of the targeted regions to confirm the exact number of households that currently do not have access to high-speed Internet and will be covered by the deployment of services.

High-speed Internet services are considered essential today in a modern society like Quebec's, and there's global consensus on this. Digital access and its counterpart—connectivity to robust, reliable and affordable Internet service—are now at the core of communities' economic and social development. The projects funded under Canada–Quebec Operation High Speed are a key part of the digital shift in Quebec and will promote access to telemedicine, distance learning, entertainment, online retail and telework.

Quotes

"This announcement marks a major step forward on this issue in Quebec. Thanks to this Ottawa-Quebec partnership, which also brings together Internet service providers, we will break down the technical barriers we've been dealing with since 2015. Together, we will ensure that every household and every business in the Capitale-Nationale region has access to high-speed Internet by September 2022."
– Jean-Yves Duclos, President of the Treasury Board and Member of Parliament for Québec

"The COVID-19 pandemic has shown that connecting all Quebecers to high-speed Internet has never been more important. That's why our government is investing to connect households and businesses in the Québec region by fall 2022. With this announcement, and thanks to our good collaboration with the Government of Quebec, we're increasing the potential for economic growth and helping improve the quality of life of Quebecers in every corner of the province."
– Joël Lightbound, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness and Member of Parliament for Louis-Hébert

"As we have witnessed many times over the past few months, high-speed Internet has become indispensable for information, work, study, entertainment and communication. With this announcement, your government is demonstrating that it is upholding its commitment to connect all Quebecers by a little over a year from now. This is excellent news for nearly 5,500 households in our Capitale-Nationale region."
– Geneviève Guilbault, Deputy Premier of Quebec, Minister of Public Security and Minister Responsible for the Capitale-Nationale Region

"I'm proud to be joining my colleagues to announce that 5,320 households in the Capitale-Nationale region will have access to Vidéotron high-speed Internet services by September 2022. It's another step toward our goal of providing reliable and affordable access to effective services throughout Quebec. We are investing heavily to make Quebec a leader in connectivity."
– Gilles Bélanger, Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier of Quebec (high-speed Internet) and Member of the National Assembly for Orford

"This is excellent news for people in La Peltrie. By September 2022, the municipalities of Fossambault-sur-le-Lac, Lac-Saint-Joseph, Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier and Shannon will have high-speed Internet service, and so will all of Quebec. I am proud of the concrete actions our government is taking, and we are honouring our commitments."
– Éric Caire, Minister for Government Digital Transformation, Minister Responsible for Access to Information and the Protection of Personal Information and Member of the National Assembly for La Peltrie

"I am very proud to participate in this announcement, which my fellow residents have been looking forward to for so long. Access to high-speed Internet is more necessary than ever, not only for the economic development of businesses in Charlevoix and Côte-de-Beaupré but also for residents. With the investments announced today, we will reach our goal of connecting all households to this service that has become so vital to modern society."
– Émilie Foster, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Higher Education and Member of the National Assembly for Charlevoix–Côte-de-Beaupré

"The pandemic has shown us the importance of a good Internet connection for telework and remote learning. With this announcement, we are not only increasing the potential for economic growth in the Portneuf riding but also helping improve the quality of life for people in Pont-Rouge."
– Vincent Caron, Member of the National Assembly for Portneuf

"Vidéotron is proud to have been chosen to connect these households in the region to high-speed Internet. Thanks to the investment announced today, the entire Capitale-Nationale region will now have access to high-speed Internet. By September 2022, 5,320 more households in the region will be able to benefit from the best in telecommunications, the best service and the best prices."
– Pierre Karl Péladeau, President and CEO of Quebecor

Quick facts

• Operation High Speed will ensure connectivity for 150,000 households, notably through unprecedented agreements with six of the biggest telecommunications companies. This is made possible by an equal investment of $826.3 million from the governments of Canada and Quebec.
• The Government of Canada has allocated billions of dollars to Internet infrastructure in rural and remote regions, including $2.75 billion as part of the Universal Broadband Fund, of which $1 billion comes from Budget 2021.
• On March 9, 2021, the Government of Quebec announced that it was increasing its budget to more than $1 billion to accelerate the connection of thousands of Quebec households to high-speed Internet.

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Annex: Canada–Quebec Operation High Speed—List of municipalities targeted by Vidéotron's project in the Capitale-Nationale region

La Jacques-Cartier RCM:	Fossambault-sur-le-Lac Lac-Saint-Joseph Sainte-Catherine-de-la-Jacques-Cartier Shannon
Portneuf RCM:	Pont-Rouge
Quebec Metropolitan Community:	Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures
Côte-de-Beaupré RCM:	Saint-Ferréol-les-Neiges Saint-Tite-des-Caps
Charlevoix RCM:	Baie-Saint-Paul Les Éboulements Petite-Rivière-Saint-François Saint-Hilarion Saint-Urbain
Charlevoix-Est RCM:	Baie-Sainte-Catherine Clermont La Malbaie Mont-Élie Notre-Dame-des-Monts Sagard Saint-Aimé-des-Lacs Saint-Irénée Saint-Siméon

SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Contacts: Marie-Pier Baril, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development, 613-295-8123, [email protected]; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, 343-291-1777, [email protected]; Alexandra Roy, Political Attaché, Office of the Premier, 819-212-0459, [email protected]; Antoine Tousignant, Media Relations Lead, Ministère du Conseil exécutif, 418-999-3029, Merick Séguin, Advisor, Public Relations and Corporate Affairs, Vidéotron, 438-889-3220, [email protected]