Barnwell, Warner among listed communities for broadband expansion

Southern Alberta Newspapers

Barnwell and Warner are among communities listed as benefitting from new joint federal and provincial funding to expand broadband access, announced June 14, along with Taber and some small locales along the Highway 3 corridor.

They were among 120 communities, with an estimated total population of 14,400, in relatively remote areas that will see $150 million in combined government spending as part of the latest work in the Universal Broadband Fund.

Telus will receive funding to upgrade service in Suffield and the Crown Village linked to CFB Suffield. Xplore will invest in numerous areas in central and northern Alberta, as well as Barnwell, Coutts, Fincastle, Grassy Lake, Taber, Milk River, Purple Springs and Warner.

“Over 14,000 households throughout rural Alberta will be able to get access to the high-speed internet services they deserve,” Minister of Technology and Innovation Nate Glubish said. “I’m proud of our work on the Universal Broadband Fund, and I’m looking forward to seeing these projects get shovels in the ground.”

“High-speed Internet is no longer a luxury,” stated +++++Gudie Hutchings, federal minister of Rural Economic Development in a release. “All communities, large and small, need a reliable connection to grow their potential in this digital world.”

To date, the governments have announced a combined $370 million in 51 projects involving 47,000 households in 333 Alberta++++++++ communities.

Telus received grants for several communities, along with several local governments and First Nations, Xplore and Slave Lake Communications.