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CRTC improves Broadband Fund to help protect Canadians from service outages

Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)
Wednesday at 12:58pm ADT · September 16, 2026 2 min read

GATINEAU, QC, Sept. 16, 2026 /CNW/ — Today, the CRTC is improving the Broadband Fund to help protect Canadians from Internet and cellphone service outages.

Through the Broadband Fund, the CRTC contributes to a broad effort by federal, provincial, and territorial governments to connect underserved rural, remote, and Indigenous communities across Canada. To date, the CRTC has helped improve high-speed Internet and cellphone services in more than 320 communities — including 135 Indigenous communities — connecting essential institutions such as schools, health care facilities, and community centres.

Outages can have harmful effects on people, especially when they cannot connect to emergency services in times of need. Following a broad public consultation, the Broadband Fund will now support projects that reduce the risk and impact of outages. These projects will help make Internet and cellphone services more reliable, including during severe weather and other emergencies.

Today’s decision is part of the CRTC’s ongoing work to improve the Broadband Fund and make it faster and easier to get Canadians connected to reliable Internet and cellphone services. 

Quote

“Reliable Internet and cellphone services are important to Canadians. By supporting projects that improve network reliability, we are helping reduce service outages so Canadians can stay connected when they need it most.”

– Vicky Eatrides, Chairperson and Chief Executive Officer, CRTC

Quick facts

  • The CRTC is an independent quasi-judicial tribunal that regulates the Canadian communications sector in the public interest. The CRTC holds public consultations on telecommunications and broadcasting matters and makes decisions based on the public record.
  • The projects supported by the CRTC’s Broadband Fund are helping connect over 54,000 homes, improve cellphone services along over 650 kilometres of major roads, and build approximately 6,000 kilometres of fibre to communities.
  • The CRTC is accepting funding proposals to the Broadband Fund until October 15, 2026. 
  • The CRTC is collaborating with Indigenous groups and communities to make it easier to get connected to high-speed Internet and cellphone services through the Broadband Fund.

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SOURCE Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC)

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