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QUÉBEC, June 7, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Thanks to a total investment of $34.7 million, made as part of Canada–Quebec Operation High Speed, 5,380 households in the Montérégie region will have access to Cogeco high-speed Internet services by September 2022.
The announcement was made today by Peter Schiefke, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and Member of Parliament for Vaudreuil–Soulanges; André Lamontagne, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Minister Responsible for the Centre-du-Québec Region and the Chaudière-Appalaches Region, and Member of the National Assembly for Johnson; Gilles Bélanger, Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier of Quebec (high-speed Internet) and Member of the National Assembly for Orford; Marilyne Picard, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and Social Services (health) and Member of the National Assembly for Soulanges; Louis Lemieux, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Culture and Communications (communications) and Member of the National Assembly for Saint-Jean; MarieChantal Chassé, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Economy and Innovation (innovation and entrepreneurship) and Member of the National Assembly for Châteauguay; Jean-Bernard Émond, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Education (vocational training) and Member of the National Assembly for Richelieu; Brenda Shanahan, Member of Parliament for Châteauguay–Lacolle; Claire IsaBelle, Member of the National Assembly for Huntingdon and Chair of the Committee on Labour and the Economy; Chantal Soucy, Second Vice-President of the National Assembly and Member of the National Assembly for Saint-Hyacinthe; and Johanne Hinse, General Manager for Quebec and Vice-President of Programming and Community Relations at Cogeco.
Cogeco will receive a combined amount of $30.6 million from the two levels of government to support the deployment of high-speed Internet services to 5,380 households located in the municipalities listed in the annex. The total cost of the project is $34.7 million. Over the next few weeks, Cogeco will take an inventory of the targeted regions to ensure that no household will be left without service.
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
"People in the Montérégie region, as in other regions of Quebec, absolutely need reliable connectivity. The COVID-19 crisis has revealed the importance of being able to access broadband digital services. By investing in projects to bring high-speed Internet services to the region, we're helping bridge the digital divide, connect our families and students, stimulate economic growth among small businesses, and create jobs." – Peter Schiefke, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship and Member of Parliament for Vaudreuil–Soulanges
"Access to high-speed Internet is not only one of the key elements in Quebec's digital shift but also one of our government's top commitments. Thanks to this announcement, all residents of the Montérégie region will be able to benefit from better services." – Simon Jolin-Barrette, Minister of Justice, Minister Responsible for the Montérégie Region and Member of the National Assembly for Borduas
"Our government has committed to connecting all Quebec households to high-speed Internet services by September 2022, and we are honouring that commitment. Residents of Sainte-Hélène-de-Bagot, Sainte-Cécile-de-Milton and Saint-Valérien-de-Milton will be able to benefit every day from this digital shift. The region's development depends on all residents and workers having connectivity. Farm buildings will also be able to take advantage of this infrastructure, which is great news for our producers." – André Lamontagne, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Minister Responsible for the Centre-du-Québec Region and the Chaudière-Appalaches Region, and Member of the National Assembly for Johnson
"Today's announcement is very important for the Montérégie region. Thanks to our government's collaboration with Cogeco, nearly 5,400 households will have access to reliable and efficient high-speed Internet by September 2022. I am proud of the work that's been done. We are living up to our commitment. We will become leaders in connectivity." – Gilles Bélanger, Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier of Quebec (high-speed Internet) and Member of the National Assembly for Orford
"The pandemic has forced us to telework and has made the digital file a top priority, not only in Soulanges but also throughout Quebec. This announcement clearly reflects the government's commitment to connect every household to make a real difference in citizens' lives. Access to high-speed Internet will definitely help energize communities." – Marilyne Picard, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Health and Social Services (health) and Member of the National Assembly for Soulanges
"In underserved areas of the Haut-Richelieu RCM, as in other places throughout Quebec that had not fully entered the digital era, the deployment of high-speed Internet is a welcome relief. Some 300 residences in Saint-Blaise-sur-Richelieu and on the outskirts of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu will benefit from this masterstroke of our government." – Louis Lemieux, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Culture and Communications (communications) and Member of the National Assembly for Saint-Jean
"The Internet unites our communities and helps keep them informed. Whether it's for news, education or entertainment, the Internet brings people closer together. It's a great driver of economic development and an extraordinary catalyst for innovation. Through this type of investment, our government is building the Quebec of tomorrow." – MarieChantal Chassé, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Economy and Innovation (innovation and entrepreneurship) and Member of the National Assembly for Châteauguay
"In the 21st century, access to high-speed Internet is indispensable for our entrepreneurs, farmers and families. The current health crisis has highlighted the importance of equipping the entire province with such a network. I'm thrilled about these investments in our region. They'll allow us to continue helping our community to prosper." – Jean-Bernard Émond, Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Education (vocational training) and Member of the National Assembly for Richelieu
"The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed that it's never been so important to connect all Quebecers to high-speed Internet, which is why our government is investing to connect households and businesses in the Montérégie region by September 2022. We will continue to invest and work in partnership with Quebec until everyone has the high-speed Internet access they need." – Brenda Shanahan, Member of Parliament for Châteauguay–Lacolle
"After many years of waiting, all residents of the Jardins-de-Napierville RCM and of the Sainte-Martine, Saint-Urbain, Saint-Chrysostome and Lacolle municipalities will finally be able to benefit from access to high-quality Internet service by September 2022. There is no doubt that, in today's society, access to high-speed Internet is just as critical for businesses, educational institutions and community organizations as it is for individuals. I thank the ministère du Conseil exécutif team, and we applaud our government for honouring its commitment." – Claire IsaBelle, Member of the National Assembly for Huntingdon and Chair of the Committee on Labour
"This is excellent news for people in Saint-Hyacinthe! Our government is making a significant investment today to ensure high-quality Internet connectivity for all. If the pandemic has taught us anything, it's that in 2021, high-quality Internet is far from being a luxury!" – Chantal Soucy, Second Vice-President of the National Assembly and Member of the National Assembly for Saint-Hyacinthe
"We're thrilled and privileged to participate in Canada–Quebec Operation High Speed. Cogeco has always had serving its communities and contributing to their economic and social vitality at the heart of its business. We are very proud that, with this new announcement, many residents of the Montérégie region—whether families, workers or students—will be able to benefit from our robust network. We are even more determined to speed up the expansion of our robust network within the scheduled September 2022 time frame." – Johanne Hinse, General Manager for Quebec and Vice-President of Programming and Community Relations, Cogeco
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.
