Richard Froese
South Peace News
Local municipal leaders are applauding more federal funding to develop rural broadband.
Funding of $100 million over five years for rural broadband was announced Feb. 27 in the federal budget.
Broadband is a major regional project for the Town of High Prairie and led by Big Lakes County.
“Any funding available for this project would reduce the costs to our residents,” High Prairie Mayor Brian Panasiuk says.
He adds rural broadband will benefit town and county residents, and businesses.
The county is committed to develop broadband in the region.
“Broadband is very important,” says Big Lakes Reeve Ken Matthews, who notes the county has applied for funding and received no response.
“I strongly believe that we would have more year-round residents in our region if we had broadband.”
He says as electronic communications grows in business, broadband is vital to make communities more sustainable.
In other budget news, Panasiuk says the Canada Summer Jobs program will also help local youth get summer jobs to earn money and gain valuable work experience.
“Hopefully, the increased funding will lead to more opportunities for our businesses to hire youth for the summer,” he says.
The town will also receive some indirect benefits from funding announced for women, Indigenous communities and the tax benefit for low-income earners.
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