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High-speed internet and ag irrigation among infrastructure funding
October 1, 2020 By Top Crop Manager
Today, the Canadian government announced $10 billion in new major infrastructure initiatives to create jobs and economic growth. Of that amount, $2 billion will be invested into expanding high-speed broadband, and $1.5 billion to irrigate an additional 700,000 acres across Canada.
The government announced that the broadband investments will connect more than 750,000 households and businesses in “underserved communities,” of which rural areas, farmers and farm businesses are a significant part.
“Rural broadband has been a long-standing issue for Canada’s farmers and rural communities,” said Mary Robinson, president of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture (CFA), in a press release. “With the arrival of COVID-19, many services pivoted to become entirely online, highlighting the fact farmer’s lack of high-speed connectivity puts us at a significant business disadvantage.
“Rural broadband is not only necessary for today’s farmers to conduct business and take advantage of cutting-edge technology, it is also critical to attracting new, young farmers into the industry.”
The government’s announcement for funding water and irrigation projects across Canada will also benefit farmers and the environment.
The Canada Infrastructure Bank’s (CIB) Growth Plan will be rolled out over the next three years.
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