Internet coverage in rural Saskatchewan is being increased over the next few years.

The Federal government is contributing 11.2 million dollars, while FlexNetworks – a telecommunications service provider based in Toronto – is also contributing 3.7 million dollars.

That brings the total investment in the project to just under 15 million dollars to install high speed internet in several small communities between Regina and Saskatoon.

Minister of Public Safety Ralph Goodale was on hand for the announcement, and says choosing communities to do these projcts is based on a technical assessment, and whether or not they have any access to internet like the rest of the country.

“At the moment, our assessment is that access is available to about 85 per cent of communities across the country. We want to get to 90 per cent by 2021, 95 per cent by 2026 and then full coverage by 2030.” Goodale said.

Mayor of the resort village of Thode Alan Thomarat says at the moment, he is forced to use a mobile hotspot on his phone for internet.

“We see all of these communities…around Saskatoon and Regina are growing consistently, and it’s young families that are going to populate these communities for years so we need these services,” Thomarat said.

The project is projected to be complete by March of 2022, but FlexNetworks have said their goal is to have it done three months earlier.

(CKRM)