A total of $37 million has been committed for high-speed internet improvements in Central Interior B.C.
Federal Minister of Rural Economic Development Gudie Hutchings made the announcement in Williams Lake on Thursday, June 13.
The investment, which involves federal and provincial funding, will connect more than 1,900 homes in 12 rural communities.
In the communities of Big Lake and Horsefly, east of Williams Lake, 522 households will be getting fibre with a federal investment of $6,933,590.
Another $30,679,996 of combined federal and provincial funding will bring fibre and fixed wireless to 1,454 households, 54 of which are Indigenous.
This includes the communities of Alkali Lake (Esk'etemc), Lac la Hache, Williams Lake, Mahood Falls, McLeese Lake, Wildwood, 150 Mile House, 108 Mile Ranch, Bridge Lake and Nazko.
Hutchings told people gathered for a press conference at Thompson Rivers University Williams Lake Campus the projects should all be completed by December 2026.
"Internet is no longer a luxury," she said. "Everybody needs to access reliable and affordable high-speed internet."
Ninety-four per cent of Canadians have access to high-speed internet and the goal is by 2030 this statistic will be 100 per cent, she noted.
Having high-speed internet opens communities to "work at the speed of business," and be able to endorse and hold up and incubate small businesses, said Williams Lake Nation Chief Willie Sellars.
"It means we have more access to education. There are so many benefits that come with having high-speed internet in rural communities," Sellars said, adding Indigenous people want to stay home in their communities to work because it is specifically important to the health and wellness of Indigenous communities.
B.C. Minister of Citizen Services George Chow said people need online services to access such things as government services, skills training, education, business opportunities and employment.
"Nowadays we are meeting online and that allows people from remote areas to participate whereas before they were always wondering how they could get to Vancouver or Victoria," Chow said. "We are doing all we can to level the field, especially in B.C. where the geography is so challenging."
TELUS has started work in the Horsefly area already and customers should be receiving a flyer informing them that fibre will be coming to them.
Mayor Surinderpal Rathor MCed the press conference and told everyone he always enjoys when federal and provincial ministers visit Williams Lake.
"They don't come empty handed and I always welcome them," he said.
