Canada invests CAD $11M to boost rural Sask internet

The Canadian government has committed more than CAD $11 million in federal funding to four broadband projects in Saskatchewan that will connect 1,922 homes, including 193 Indigenous households.

The funding targets 28 rural and remote communities across the province. The projects sit under the Universal Broadband Fund, a federal program that focuses on rural, remote and Indigenous connectivity.

The announcement came from Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State for Rural Development. He framed the investment as part of a national plan for universal access.

"For people living in rural, remote and northern areas, high-speed Internet is no longer a luxury - it's a necessity. It's how people access health care virtually, start a business or just stay in touch with their loved ones. That's why the federal government made a historic commitment to provide access to high-speed Internet to 100% of Canadian households by 2030," said Belanger.

Providers funded

FlexNetworks will receive the largest allocation. The company will take CAD $9,427,955 in federal funding. The project covers 1,147 households across 16 communities, including Blumenthal, Hague, St. Gregor and Wakaw Lake.

FlexNetworks plans fibre deployments across the communities listed in the project scope. The project is expected to be completed in March 2027.

Access Communications Co-operative will receive CAD $1,525,382. The project covers 555 households across 10 communities. The list includes Greig Lake, Viscount, Saltcoats and Bredenbury.

Access Communications will use fibre and fixed wireless technologies across the project footprint. The work is expected to be completed in March 2027.

Prairie Crocus Rural Internet will receive CAD $265,862. The project covers 27 households in Patience Lake. It uses fibre and reached completion on 31 October 2025, according to the project details released alongside the funding announcement.

Kawacatoose First Nation will receive CAD $561,431. The project covers 193 households. The project uses fixed wireless technology and was completed on 30 September 2025.

Targets and gaps

Canada's Connectivity Strategy sets a benchmark of at least 50 megabits per second for downloads and 10 megabits per second for uploads. The federal government has set a national objective of 100 per cent household access to high-speed internet by 2030.

The Universal Broadband Fund totals CAD $3.225 billion. The government says the program aims for 98 per cent household coverage by the end of 2026, with a move to full coverage by 2030.

Coverage varies significantly by province and by geography. The government reported that 96.3 per cent of Canadian households have access to high-speed internet, compared with 79 per cent in 2014.

Saskatchewan sits below the national figure. The government put provincial high-speed access at 85.7 per cent of households. It reported federal investments of CAD $215 million in connectivity projects in Saskatchewan since 2015.