News Releases
Government Home Search Sitemap Contact Us  

December 3, 1996
(Development and Rural Renewal)

 

The following statement was issued today by Judy Foote, Minister Development and Rural Renewal. It was also read in the House of Assembly:

Expansion of Internet Services to Rural Newfoundland

I rise today to inform my honourable colleagues in the House of the pending expansion of Internet services to rural Newfoundland and Labrador, and of the positive impact this initiative will have for communities throughout the province, for businesses, and for the economic development of this province in general.

I recently participated in a news conference with NewTel Communications when they announced their intent to expand Internet services to 300 additional communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador by the end of 1997. This expansion will bring the total number of urban and rural communities with access to Internet services to 450.

This initiative is an important one for the whole province, but especially for rural Newfoundland and Labrador. Currently, residents and businesses in most rural communities have to pay long distance charges to access Internet services. This acts as a deterrent to the utilization of this increasingly important technology in society and business today.

NewTel's initiative will eliminate long distance access charges and thereby allow more Newfoundlanders and Labradorians throughout the province to be placed on a level-playing field on the global information highway through the Internet.

Two years ago, one in every 10 homes in this province had a personal computer. As of May 1996, one in five homes had a personal computer. By the end of 1997, thanks in part to this initiative, it is estimated that one in three homes will have a personal computer. Newfoundland and Labrador has the fastest growth in Internet use in the country.

NewTel' initiative will ensure that Newfoundland and Labrador continues to be a national leader in utilizing modern communications technology for social and economic advancement. Newfoundland and Labrador's growth in these services not only leads the country, but also most of the United States. It will also provide businesses throughout this province with the means to participate in the global marketplace by having ready access to information worldwide. This will improve their competitive position overall. No longer will location be a hindrance to conducting and succeeding in business internationally. The technology is available and we are in a position to take advantage of it and to be full participants in the new economy.

With hundreds of communities online, this initiative will also make it easier for each of the province's 20 economic zones to interact with each other. Each of the zones will become more empowered as they learn from each other and work towards their common goal of a revitalized economy in every region of this province.

In partnership with the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Municipalities, my department has begun to place information on the economic zones on the World Wide Web. I express government's appreciation to the federation for their support in this regard.

We believe in our rural communities. This initiative will enable them to be competitive in an increasingly global economy that thrives on information for growth and prosperity. Government applauds NewTel for its vision and commitment to placing communities throughout Newfoundland and Labrador on the leading edge of the information economy.

1996 12 03 2:25 p.m.

SearchHomeBack to GovernmentContact Us


All material copyright the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. No unauthorized copying or redeployment permitted. The Government assumes no responsibility for the accuracy of any material deployed on an unauthorized server.
Disclaimer/Copyright/Privacy Statement