64 rural Nova Scotia communities to get high-speed internet access

About $26.4 million, most of it federally funded, will be spent to bring high-speed internet access to 64 rural and remote communities in Nova Scotia, Treasury Board president and Kings-Hants MP Scott Brison announced Friday.

One of the locations is an Indigenous community, and up to 80 institutions in the province will benefit from better online connections, Brison said.

Residents in rural communities across Nova Scotia have complained for years about slow, spotty, or non-existent high-speed internet. They say it has hampered business opportunities in small communities and hurt the education of students. 

Of the $26.4 million announced Thursday:

• $17.7 million will come from the federal Connect to Innovate program.
• $1.2 million will come from the Nova Scotia Internet Funding Trust established by the government of Nova Scotia.
• $6.9 million will be provided by community applicants.
• $517,000 will come from other sources.

"This important investment will support farming and fishing industries in data collection and observation, students and youth in learning, and residents in day-to-day life with connected devices," Brison said.

Reliable high-speed internet is not a luxury, but is instead critical for the sustainability and development of rural communities, said Peter Muttart, mayor of the Municipality of the County of Kings.

Brison said the Municipality of the County of Kings will receive $5.6 million for a project that will provide 10 communities and 12 institutions with access to high-speed internet services.

No further details were provided about the communities which can expect high-speed internet access or a timeline of when the service is expected to be rolled out.

"The specific communities benefiting from the Connect to Innovate funding for Nova Scotia will be announced in the coming months," a statement from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada said Friday.