We are committed to finding ways to address the challenges facing our community's internet infrastructure.

This includes advocacy at federal and provincial levels for investment in internet connectivity in our community.

Broadband is federally regulated by the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC). As a municipality, we are obligated under federal regulations to facilitate the installation of this critical infrastructure, owned and constructed by internet service providers.

With fibre optics installation, our role will be to ensure safe and efficient management of our lands and rights-of-ways through permitting.

Xplore is the internet service provider who received provincial and federal funding to install fibre optics in some of Strathcona County’s rural areas.

The current information available is the June 14 announcement, which indicates a fibre optics network with a completion date of March 2027.

We will update links to detailed information when available.

There are significant up-front costs for internet service providers (ISPs) to provide service in hard-to-reach, low population rural areas. The County helped ISPs identify those rural areas with unsatisfactory internet access. Incentives through the Rural Internet Access Program encouraged ISPs to enhance and expand their internet service where it was needed most.

22 local internet towers were added in hard-to-reach areas, and many other towers were upgraded, to boost signal reach.

Through this three-year innovative program, the County offered incentives to internet service providers (ISPs) to install smaller internet towers in areas where there were gaps in service.

The new towers - owned and maintained by the ISPs - act as a bridge between households and larger infrastructure towers, bringing high-speed internet access to areas that are without. Local ISPs worked directly with landowners to install towers in areas designated by the County.

Unfortunately, geographical features such as hilly and treed terrain may prevent a wireless signal from reaching your home. If you have confirmed with local Internet service providers (ISPs) that they are unable to provide internet access to your home, you may want to consider other options such as installing an antenna or a small tower on your property, or going with a cellular data plan. There are also additional service providers operating in Strathcona County that may be able to offer service to you:

Alberta Communications
www.albertacom.com
780-496-7658

Xplore
https://www.xplore.ca/
1-877-969-3152

MCS Net
www.mcsnet.ca
1-866-390-3928

Telus
www.telus.com
1-866-558-2273

Rogers
www.rogers.com
1-888-764-3771

Switch
https://switch.ca/
1-877-628-3801