$4.47 million to bring high-speed Internet access to more than 300 households in the La Haute-Côte-Nord RCM by September 2022

QUÉBEC, July 21, 2021 /CNW/ - Thanks to a total investment of $4.47 million, made as part of Canada?Quebec Operation High Speed, 310 households in the La Haute-Côte-Nord Regional County Municipality (RCM) will have access to Vidéotron high-speed Internet services by September 2022.

The announcement was made today by the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue and Member of Parliament for Gaspésie?Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine; Jonatan Julien, Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Minister Responsible for the Côte-Nord Region and Member of the National Assembly for Charlesbourg; Gilles Bélanger, Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier of Quebec (high-speed Internet) and Member of the National Assembly for Orford; and Pierre Karl Péladeau, President and CEO of Quebecor.

Vidéotron will receive $4.23 million to support the deployment of high-speed Internet services in the region. The total cost of the project is $4.47 million. The investments announced will accelerate the deployment of reliable, high-performance infrastructure in the following municipalities:

Over the next few weeks, Vidéotron will be taking 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. Access to high-performance, reliable and affordable Internet services is 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 is excellent news for the Côte-Nord and for rural Quebec as a whole. The pandemic has shown us how essential high-speed Internet access has become for our communities, not only for bringing people together virtually but also for working, studying and doing business. Our government understands that it is urgent and vital to connect rural regions throughout Canada, including Quebec. We are proud to participate in this important project and will continue to invest and partner with the Government of Quebec to ensure each household has access to high-speed Internet."
? The Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue and Member of Parliament for Gaspésie?Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine

"Whether we're young or young at heart, whether we're entrepreneurs, adventurers, students or artists, in this digital age, having access to high-speed Internet services is essential for creating and maintaining ties with family and friends, colleagues, and the rest of the world. The project announced today is one more measure for supporting the development of the Côte-Nord, and it will benefit all residents of the RCM and those who choose to make their home here in the future."
? Jonatan Julien, Quebec Minister of Energy and Natural Resources and Minister Responsible for the Côte-Nord Region

"Establishing a high-speed Internet network in an area as large as the Côte-Nord is a major challenge. Fortunately, we can count on the solid expertise of partners like Vidéotron. Connected communities will be able to participate fully in the region's economic development."  
? Gilles Bélanger, Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier of Quebec (high-speed Internet) and Member of the National Assembly for Orford

"As of September 2022, hundreds of families and businesses in the Côte-Nord will finally be able to connect to a high-performance network to work, study or simply be closer to family and friends. I am very proud to see Vidéotron teams participating in this unprecedented network deployment that will benefit Quebec's regions."
? Pierre Karl Péladeau, President and CEO of Quebecor

Quick facts

• Canada?Quebec 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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SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada