The third intake of the Connecting Communities BC (CCBC) funding program opened for applications on Jan 8, 2024. Through CCBC, the Province aims to provide high-speed internet access to all remaining underserved households and First Nation communities by 2027.
This intake targets northern and coastal areas of the province, including some of the hardest to reach parts that do not have any projects underway, and First Nations’-led or supported projects anywhere in the province. Areas of interest for intake 3 are outlined in the BC Data Catalogue.
Intake 3 will be open until March 14, 2024. Areas that do not have projects underway because of previous intakes through CCBC or the previous Connecting British Columbia (CBC) funding program will be part of future intakes in Spring 2024.
Eligibility criteria and steps to apply to the CCBC program remain the same as previous intakes. Eligible applicants include corporations, Indigenous entities, public sector bodies (or a partnership thereof) that builds, owns, and operates broadband infrastructure; or contracts with an entity identified above to design, build, own, and operate broadband infrastructure. Program funding will support expansion of high-speed internet to households in specific areas that currently do not have access to internet speeds of at least 50 Megabits per second (Mbps) download speed and 10 Mbps upload speed.
The CCBC program previously completed two intakes between September 2022 and February 2023. Funding for CCBC comes from a joint commitment by BC and Canada in March 2022, to invest up to $830 million, contributing $415 million each, towards high-speed connectivity infrastructure projects in rural and remote areas.
Project applications from previous intakes are currently in review, with approved projects expected to be announced in the coming months.
Questions may be directed to the Connectivity Division.