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$12.6 million allocated to the Argenteuil RCM to continue deploying high-speed Internet servicesLACHUTE, QC, July 22, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - The governments of Canada and Quebec are announcing a joint investment of $12.6 million to support the deployment of high-speed Internet to 1,950 additional households in the Argenteuil RCM by September 2022. The project, with a total cost of $14 million, will be carried out by the Argenteuil RCM and Fibre Argenteuil and will provide coverage to all of the RCM's residents. The announcement was made yesterday by Stéphane Lauzon, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Seniors and Member of Parliament for Argenteuil–La Petite-Nation, and Agnès Grondin, Member of the National Assembly for Argenteuil. This joint investment comes under Phase II of Canada–Quebec Operation High Speed, which was announced on the morning of July 21 and includes $94 million in combined government funding, contributed equally, for 13 new community-led projects. Phase II projects complement those announced last March as part of Operation High Speed's first phase. Co-operating with telecommunications companies and organizations, adding a deadline with penalties to new contracts and providing coverage for all homes in the region where projects are being undertaken will ensure quick and effective deployment. Quotes "People in the Argenteuil RCM, as in other regions of Quebec, absolutely need reliable connectivity. The COVID-19 crisis has shown the importance of having access to digital broadband services. By investing in these high-speed Internet service projects in the region, we're helping bridge the digital divide, stimulate economic growth and create jobs." "This major announcement is cause for celebration. Residents of the Argenteuil RCM will finally be able to access the reliable and affordable high-speed nternet that has become such an essential service. We knew it already, but the pandemic confirmed that access to this service is critical to our communities' vitality, our regions' economic development and our security. I commend the commitment and leadership of the Argenteuil RCM on this important issue. It lived up to its commitment by creating Fibre Argenteuil, a non-profit organization whose mission is Internet connectivity for all. I also thank my colleague Gilles Bélanger, Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier (high-speed Internet), who was able to stay the course to fulfil our government's commitment to connect all of Quebec by September 2022, notably by working with communities to find winning solutions." Quick facts
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