Innovation, Business and Rural Development
May 2, 2013
 
The following statement was given today in the House of Assembly by the Honourable Keith Hutchings, Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural Development:

Rural Broadband Coverage Extended

Mr. Speaker, I rise in this Honourable House today to update Honourable Members on the continued work our government is doing to ensure that broadband infrastructure is reaching rural Newfoundland and Labrador.

On March 5, I announced successful applicants under Phase Two of the Rural Broadband Initiative and identified a partnership with EION Inc. Today I am pleased to provide an update and identify 24 communities which will receive fixed wireless broadband access. The communities are St. Theresa, Barachois Brook, Sheaves Cove, Lunch Point Sandy Lake, Bear Cove (Rocky Harbour), Castor River South, Castor River North, Shoal Cove West, Bird Cove, Little Springdale, Red Cliff (Grand Falls-Windsor), Little Burnt Bay, Loon Bay, Hwy 340 adjacent to Loon Bay, Deadman’s Bay, Route 201 near Bellevue, Bellevue, Mills Siding, O’Donnell’s, Branch, Freshwater (Bell Island), Winterland, Point au Gaul and Allan’s Island. Work has started on this initiative and will be completed by March 2014.

Mr. Speaker, our plan has led to more than 500 communities in Newfoundland and Labrador having broadband access, and by 2014, 89 per cent of the Island and 95 per cent of Labrador will be covered. We are being innovative using a variety of technologies, such as fibre, wireless and satellite, and continue to explore new opportunities to invest and strengthen our province’s innovation infrastructure.
 
Mr. Speaker, in Budget 2013, this government committed an additional $6.3 million for rural broadband coverage. This investment will further our efforts to improve the province’s telecommunications environment, and we are working with industry to identify opportunities for additional development.
 
Our government’s investment in broadband infrastructure is now over $35 million since 2003 and has, to date, leveraged more than $116 million from other sources, for a total investment of $151 million. The result of our efforts, along with those of our strategic partners, has been the establishment of a high speed Internet system throughout Newfoundland and Labrador – one that we continue to build on.

Mr. Speaker, this government is committed to advancing rural broadband coverage and improving the province’s telecommunications environment because we recognize that it is critical to industry success and is a central component in the province’s innovation infrastructure.
Thank you.

2013 05 02                                        1:45 p.m.