internet connectivity

By Trevor Greenway

The Quebec government says it’s the first province to make high-speed internet accessible to every household in the province. 

However, having access to high-speed internet doesn’t necessarily mean you will be connected to it. 

“As part of Operation High Speed launched in 2021, the Quebec government committed to providing the entire population of Quebec with high-speed internet access, not to connecting 100 per cent of households,” wrote Emile Boudreau, spokesperson for the Ministry of Cybersecurity and Digital Affairs. “So, having access to high-speed internet does not necessarily mean being connected to it. It is important to note that the Quebec government is not an internet service provider. These services are provided by private telecommunications companies.

Since 2021, Quebec has invested $2.08 billion to provide all homes with access to high speed internet, whether through fibre optics or satellite technology. The investment is part of a broader, Canada-wide effort to connect 100 per cent of households to high speed Internet by 20230. 

According to MRC Vallée-de-la-Gatineau Prefect Chantal Lamarche, there are still many dark spots throughout the Outaouais, mainly in the rural areas to the north, that do not have access to high-speed internet – places such as Thurso, Que, east of Buckingham, according to Lamarche.

“The MRC remains very concerned about the situation and is monitoring the matter closely in collaboration with municipal-elected officials,” Lamarche wrote in an email to the Low Down. “The majority of MRC residents are now connected to high-speed internet. However, a minority of households located in more remote or hard-to-reach areas still do not benefit from adequate service. This situation remains a concern.”

Lamarche said that when Quebec launched Operation High-Speed in 2021, it promised to “connect” all households to fibre optic service. She said she’s still waiting for that to happen. 

“The Quebec government committed to ensuring that every home with access to electricity would also be connected to high-speed fiber optic internet,” said Lamarche. “We firmly believe that this commitment must be kept. A sustainable solution requires structural investment and clear political will.”

According to the ministry, while not every home in Quebec is connected to fibre optic, 338,438 additional households have been connected since 2021, including 9,676 via low-orbit satellite.

“Thanks to low-orbit satellite service, all residential, institutional and resort homes now have access to high-speed internet,” added Boudreau. “The goal of providing high-speed internet access to 100 per cent of residential households has been achieved since 2024.”

However, Lamarche is adamant that this is not the case, and said she will continue to work with colleagues to continue to pressure Quebec to improve connectivity.