Whereas many small and rural communities lack the financial resources to invest in the infrastructure to provide fibre optics; And whereas fibre optic infrastructure is increasingly necessary to provide advanced technology in community-sustaining sectors such as business development, health, education, government, and emergency response management: Therefore be it resolved that UBCM ask the Province to provide funding programs that enable small and rural communities to invest in fibre optic infrastructure.
Ministry of Citizens Services The Provincial Government is continuously working with internet service providers to help ensure that citizens and small businesses in rural areas are connected. For any company to compete in todays economy, bandwidth is essential to sell goods and services, communicate with customers, and take advantage of web-based applications. The Province invests in projects with measurable economic, social and community benefits such as business development, improvement of health and education services, and emergency management. In 2017, the Provincial Government committed 40 million to expand the Connecting British Columbia program to improve high-speed internet connectivity in remote, rural and Indigenous communities. Funding is available to help local governments, including regional districts, install new fibre network transport systems and local connectivity infrastructure, and develop connectivity infrastructure strategies. The Province is also working closely with the federal government to leverage new programs as they become available, such as the Infrastructure Canadas Investing in Canada fund and the new CRTC regulatory fund anticipated next year.