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KAMLOOPS – The Province is investing $250,000 to help rural communities get connected to broadband Internet, Kamloops MLA Claude Richmond announced today on behalf of Management Services Minister Joyce Murray.
“This money will help the British Columbia Community Connectivity Co-operative (BC3) educate and connect rural and remote communities to broadband Internet,” said Richmond. “Access to broadband will allow more people to live, learn and prosper at home, instead of having to move to more urban centres.”
“It's fitting that we make this announcement in Kamloops, where Thompson
Rivers University is replacing B.C. Open University and College and will be a
model for what technology can do to level the playing field,” said
Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Kevin Krueger. “Computers and the Internet are the
pen and paper of this century. This
technology is giving people in rural areas the same opportunities as those in
urban centres.” The $250,000 is being distributed by the province through NetWork BC, the provincial agency tasked with bringing high-speed Internet access points to the communities that lack broadband. The BC3 is a non-profit organization dedicated to building broadband capacity in rural, remote and Aboriginal communities across the province of British Columbia. The money will assist BC3 in the development and delivery of a program of community consultation, community broadband network best practices information, business and technical instruction, information and communication technologies (ICT) skills training and other ICT capacity-building content.
“In accelerating the spread of broadband service, the most difficult communities to serve are often those that have the most to gain from the introduction of high-speed Internet,” said Murray, minister responsible for NetWork BC. “These workshops will help communities learn more about how to connect to the high-speed pipe. Once we conquer that knowledge gap, we can bridge the digital divide.”
“Having the ability to access and use technology is one of the most powerful tools you can possess in this day and age,” said BC3 Chair Arvo Koppel. “We plan to go back to these regions and communities next year, and the year after to ensure they are on the right path. We plan to give these communities the information they need to thrive in the 21st century.” As part of the province’s New Era commitment to bridge the digital divide, Premier Gordon Campbell announced in February that government would consolidate its Internet, telephone and voice mail networks with those of other public sector organizations including health authorities and school districts, and provide high-speed broadband Internet access points in 173 communities, including 100 First Nation communities.
For more information, visit the NetWork BC website at www.network.gov.bc.ca online.
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Download a high-resolution photo of MLA Richmond at: http://mla2.governmentcaucus.bc.ca/media/Richmond_600.jpg online.
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