SaskTel utilizing funding from the Universal Broadband Fund to improve connectivity for those living in Northern and Indigenous communities

June 3, 2024

Pictured from left to right: Charlene Gavel (SaskTel President and CEO), The Honourable Gudie Hutchings (Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency) and Jim Lemaigre (MLA for Athabasca)

Today, SaskTel announced that it plans to utilize funding awarded to it from the Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) to significantly improve connectivity for residents living in Northern and Indigenous communities.

“Improving connectivity for Saskatchewan families, businesses and communities is a key part of our government's Growth Plan, through which we will make Saskatchewan’s north more competitive and attractive for investment, which will mean a more prosperous future for all residents and stronger communities in our province,” said Jim Lemaigre, MLA for Athabasca on behalf of Dustin Duncan, Minister Responsible for SaskTel. “The funding from the Universal Broadband Fund will build on SaskTel’s existing investments to enhance its infrastructure, delivering faster Internet service and improved connectivity to residents living in Northern and Indigenous communities.

The Government of Saskatchewan’s 30 Goals for 2030 include growing private capital investment in Saskatchewan to $16 billion annually and increasing Indigenous participation in Saskatchewan’s natural resource industries.

“As Saskatchewan’s homegrown communications leader, we understand how important fast and reliable connectivity is to the overall health and well-being of our customers, especially those living in more remote communities,” said Charlene Gavel, SaskTel President and CEO. “We are pleased to receive funding from the Universal Broadband Fund and look forward to bringing improved connectivity to more residents of our province.”

SaskTel will utilize the recently announced UBF funding to expand and upgrade its transport network in parts of the province and deliver SaskTel infiNET™ service to residents living in Deschambault Lake, Ballantyne Bay, Tyrell Lake, Jan Lake, Cumberland House, Cumberland House Cree Nation, and Pemmican Portage. Additional communities that will receive infiNET service will be announced at a later date.

SaskTel will also construct several new cell towers in order to bring wireless coverage to Birch Narrows First Nation, Island Lake (Ministikwan Lake Cree Nation), Turnor Lake, and along Highway 106, also known as Hanson Lake Road.

For details about the Universal Broadband Fund, including information about the funding awarded to SaskTel, please visit https://ised-isde.canada.ca/site/media-room/en.

About SaskTel

SaskTel is the leading Information and Communications Technology (ICT) provider in Saskatchewan, with approximately $1.3 billion in annual revenue and nearly 1.4 million customer connections including more than 654,000 wireless accesses, 257,000 wireline network accesses, 295,000 internet and data accesses, 111,000 maxTV service subscribers, and 77,000 security monitoring customers. SaskTel and its wholly-owned subsidiaries offer a wide range of ICT products and services including competitive voice, data and Internet services, wireless data services, maxTV services, data centre services, cloud-based services, security monitoring services, advertising services, and international software and consulting services. SaskTel and its wholly-owned subsidiaries have a workforce of approximately 3,300 full-time equivalent employees (FTEs). Visit SaskTel at www.sasktel.com.