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NEWS RELEASE
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For Immediate Release April 8, 2010 |
Ministry of Citizens' Services
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MORE OF B.C. BENEFITS FROM CONNECTIVITY INVESTMENT
VICTORIA – British Columbians in up to 50 rural and remote locales will soon have the world at their fingertips with over $1 million in provincial funding to expand broadband connectivity announced Citizens’ Services Minister Ben Stewart.
“In the past two years, we’ve partnered with communities on almost 100 broadband projects through Network BC’s Connecting Citizens Grant Program,” said Stewart. “Each new project improves the quality of life for citizens living in rural and remote locales by increasing access to online learning and skills training, health and government services.”
Applications from all areas of the province have been reviewed and evaluated, completing the second year of the multi-year funding program. Grants totalling $1.3 million will support 30 projects to be completed over the next year. Under Network BC, infrastructure grants were made available to eligible applicants where the ability to expand Internet high-speed service to unconnected areas was demonstrated.
The Connecting Citizens Grant Program was announced by Premier Gordon Campbell at the annual Union of B.C. Municipalities Convention in September 2008. The program is a $5.2 million, multi-year grant program that provides up to $50,000 per project.
“We are delighted with today's funding announcement,” said Bob Allen of ABC Communications, Northern B.C.'s largest provider of integrated telecommunications products and services. “The work we did last year to expand broadband network infrastructure into areas such as Beaverdell, Nukko Lake, Kettle Valley, McLeese Lake and Nazko could not have been achieved without the support of Network BC.”
As part of the Ministry of Citizens’ Services, Network BC’s collaborative leadership model has gained international recognition. Network BC was named laureate of the international Computerworld honours program for innovation and has been recognized by the Premier’s Innovation and Excellence Awards annually since 2006 for its collaborative partnerships to support connectivity in rural and remote areas.
A list of successful projects of the 2009-2010 Connecting Citizens Grant Program is in the attached backgrounder.
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Media Contact:
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Lara Perzoff Communications Manager Ministry of Citizens’ Services 250 387-7482 |
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For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.
BACKGROUNDER
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For Immediate Release April 8, 2010 |
Ministry of Citizens' Services
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CONNECTING CITIZENS GRANT PROGRAM ROUND 2 GRANTS 2009/2010
In 2009, nearly 100 applications for funding assistance under the Connecting Citizens Grant Program were received from all over British Columbia. Applications were adjudicated based on the published program criteria and 30 projects will be funded in this round of the multi-year program.
Extending last-mile broadband connectivity is making a significant contribution to bridging the digital divide in British Columbia.
Projects funded in this round must be completed by March 31, 2011.
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Locale |
Applicant |
Amount |
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Bamfield, Anacla |
Community Wireless Networks |
$20,000 |
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Burton |
Burton Internet Society |
$50,000 |
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Canim Lake |
BC Wireless Ltd. / 100 Mile Netshop Ltd. |
$50,000 |
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Creston Valley |
Wynndel Internet Society |
$50,000 |
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Faulder |
ABC Allen Business Communications Ltd. |
$46,954 |
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Francois Lake |
508533 British Columbia Ltd. (dba Hwy16 Internet) |
$5,000 |
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Gantahaz Subdivision |
ABC Allen Business Communications Ltd. |
$49,606 |
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Gateway, Buffalo Creek, Houseman Road area |
BC Wireless Ltd. / 100 Mile Netshop Ltd. |
$50,000 |
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Gold Bridge |
Minto Communications Society |
$50,000 |
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Gordon River Reserve |
San Juan Enterprises Ltd. |
$50,000 |
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Gun Lake |
Minto Communications Society |
$50,000 |
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Horsefly Lake, Horsefly Mountain, area south of Horsefly town site |
BC Wireless Ltd. /100 Mile Netshop Ltd. |
$50,000 |
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Hudson's Hope |
Peace Region Internet Society |
$50,000 |
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Masset area |
GwaiiTel Society |
$50,000 |
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Old Massett Village area |
GwaiiTel Society |
$50,000 |
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Palling |
ABC Allen Business Communications Ltd. |
$30,514 |
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Roe Lake, L. Fish Lake, Grosset Rd, Wilson Lake, Lac Des Roches |
BC Wireless Ltd. /100 Mile Netshop Ltd. |
$50,000 |
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Rosebery |
Red Mountain Internet Society |
$50,000 |
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Saturna Island |
Saturna Net Co-operative |
$50,000 |
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Shalalth, Seton Portage |
Seton Lake Indian Band |
$50,000 |
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Shelley |
ABC Allen Business Communications Ltd. |
$50,000 |
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Shelley-Glen |
ABC Allen Business Communications Ltd. |
$47,042 |
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Skawahlook First Nation |
Skawahlook First Nation |
$34,259 |
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Timothy Lake, Greeney Lake, NE end of Lac La Hache |
BC Wireless Ltd. / 100 Mile Netshop Ltd. |
$50,000 |
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Tobacco Plains, Grasmere, Roosville, Kookanusa and Newgate rural areas |
FlexiNET Broadband Inc. |
$50,000 |
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Tsaxana |
Conuma Cable Systems Ltd. |
$50,000 |
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Tyaughton Lake |
Minto Communications Society |
$48,480 |
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Wasa, Tata Creek and Wolf Creek rural areas |
FlexiNET Broadband Inc. |
$50,000 |
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Whitecroft |
AirSpeed Wireless Inc. |
$50,000 |
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Wilson Landing |
ABC Allen Business Communications Ltd. |
$48,580 |
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Media Contact:
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Lara Perzoff Communications Manager Ministry of Citizens’ Services 250 387-7482 |
|
For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.
