Category: Infrastructure

The Government of Ontario released its provincial budget Wednesday, with a big spend on internet and broadband expansion for the province, including rural areas. The announcement of $2.8 billion for expanded broadband will bring the total that Ontario has committed to broadband expansion over $4 billion, with a commitment to connect the entire province by… Read More

The federal government is investing another $750 million on top of the previously announced $1 billion in its Universal Broadband Fund in an effort to improve Canadians’ access to high-speed internet. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and a cadre of cabinet ministers made the announcement in Ottawa on Monday. The $1 billion effort to bring fast… Read More

Almost everyone who lives in a rural area is well aware of the challenges with infrastructure and services — from keeping schools open, to attracting and retaining doctors, to building roads and fixing bridges. Fewer though are likely fully aware of just how far behind their local town or municipality has fallen in keeping up… Read More

The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) has given the green light to SpaceX’s plan for providing high-speed internet to areas with poor service using low Earth orbit satellites. SpaceX is the space exploration and satellite company owned by Elon Musk, who is also the CEO of Tesla. SpaceX has received plenty of attention for… Read More

Leveraging a loan from the Canada Infrastructure Bank, the province of Alberta and eight southern irrigation districts will pony up over $400 million for new irrigation projects. A 50 per cent commitment from the federally-backed bank will cover off the remaining $407 million, for a total funding of $815 million for new reservoirs, enhancements to… Read More

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced his government’s $10 billion plan to create jobs and spur economic growth. Through the Canada Infrastructure Bank, the government plan includes five major infrastructure initiatives expected to create approximately 60,000 jobs across the country. As part of the Government of Canada’s plan to “build back better,” the three-year plan… Read More

For perhaps the first time in several generations, Canadians have been faced with real uncertainty in their food system. The fallout of the COVID-19 economic shutdown and panic buying led to shuttered processors, dumped milk, and empty grocery store shelves. Most consumers wouldn’t normally think about or talk about food security or agriculture on a… Read More

Ontario’s government will roll out $150 million in cost-share funding through its Improving Connectivity in Ontario (ICON) program as part of its plan to build broadband and cellular service in rural areas. ICON is part of the province’s $315 million initiative called Up to Speed: Ontario’s Broadband and Cellular Action Plan. When leveraged, ICON has… Read More

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s become abundantly clear to many that Canada’s livestock processing industry is incredibly concentrated to a handful of federal plants. Now, as these plants face partial or short-term closures, many farmers and consumers alike are lamenting the lack of small, local abattoirs. The trouble is, it’s not easy… Read More

A regulation change in 2014 requiring updating and potentially upgrading some rail crossings means several Manitoba farmers are on the hook for thousands in work to be done by CP Rail. A representative for the railway says it’s just enforcing the Grade Crossing Regulations and Grade Crossing Standards set out by Transport Canada nearly six… Read More