Government Grant to Improve Islands Telecommunication System

Joel Arseneau, Diane Arsenault, Germain Chevarie,
Francine Cyr, and Denis Michaud

The deputy of the Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Mr. Germain Chevarie, the Minister of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, Mr. Laurent Lessard and the Minister of Education, Recreation and Sports, Mrs. Line Beauchamp, announced a grant for the financial assistance from the Quebec government for $2,059,737.00 to support the implementation of a broadband telecommunication network to the Magdalen Islands.

The proposed deployment of a broadband telecommunication network bandwidth will link the buildings of the Islands School Board, Commission Scolaire des Iles, the Municipality of the Îles-de-la-Madeleine and the two schools in the Eastern Shores School Board. Network integrated electronic communications Iles-de-la-Madeleine (RICEIM) will act as the representative agency for the project deployment of this network.

The Ministry of Municipal Affairs, Regions and Land Occupancy will contribute the amount of $1,381,742.00 in Quebec’s outreached Villages.

"With financial aid, the Magdalen Islands can count on the many resources offered by information and communication technology. This program will therefore provide citizens with a wide variety of resources, products and services essential to the local and regional development ", said Minister Laurent Lessard.

For its part, the Ministry of Education, Recreation and Sports grant under that program, a sum of $677,995, which will be paid at two educational institutions: the Commission Scolaire des Îles ($601,064.00 ) and the Eastern Shores School Board ($76,931.00). 

"The schools will benefit from being connected and their connection will promote the academic success of students who will gain more skills," said Minister Line Beauchamp.

"This project serves the desire of Islanders to join in order to move forward on the technological, economic and cultural development well. This infrastructure provides a valuable foundation for regional development. Thus contributing to the installation of a telecommunications infrastructure that meets the needs of the community, the Quebec government shows its commitment to effectively support this development," said MP Germain Chevarie.