Val-d’Or, June 21, 2021 – Videotron is pleased to announce, in partnership with the Government of Canada and the Government of Québec, that it has been selected under Canada-Québec Operation High-Speed to connect more than 13,300 households to high-speed Internet in the Abitibi-Témiscamingue and Nord-du-Québec regions by September 30, 2022. The announcement was made today by the Honourable Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue and MP for Gaspésie–Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Pierre Dufour, Minister Responsible for the Abitibi-Témiscamingue Region and the Nord-du-Québec Region and MNA for Abitibi-Est, and Pierre Karl Péladeau, President and CEO of Quebecor.
The homes that will be connected are located in the town of Rouyn-Noranda, in the Nord-du-Québec region, and in 68 towns and municipalities located in the regional county municipalities of Abitibi, Abitibi-Ouest, La Vallée-de-l’Or and Témiscamingue.
Over the next few months, Videotron will survey the territory to make sure that all households without exception are connected. See the full list of municipalities that will be served.
Today, high-speed Internet is considered an essential service. The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for Québec’s rural communities to have access to 21st century digital infrastructure. After decades of waiting, almost all rural communities will soon have access to the same level of service as is available in the big cities. The projects funded under Canada–Québec Operation High Speed are key to Québec’s digital shift. They will make it easier to access telemedicine, distance education, entertainment, online shopping and telework.
A full product line-up for the best customer experience
The newly connected households will be able to subscribe to Helix, Videotron’s new home entertainment and connected lifestyle experience. Its voice remote capabilities, ultra-intelligent Wi-Fi and support for home automation will make Helix a welcome addition in many rural Québec households.
More Quebecers will also soon enjoy the best customer experience, at the same price as in the major urban centres. Not only do the households targeted by this project lack access to high-speed Internet, but they are often paying too much for inferior technology. This will end with Videotron’s arrival.
Quotes
“This is excellent news for the Abitibi region and for rural Québec as a whole. The pandemic has shown us how essential high-speed Internet access has become for our communities, not only for bringing people together virtually but also for working, studying and doing business. Our government understands that it is urgent and vital to connect communities in Québec and Canada. We are proud to participate in this important project and will continue to invest and partner with the Government of Québec to ensure each household and business has access to high-speed Internet.”
Diane Lebouthillier, Minister of National Revenue and MP for Gaspésie–Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine
“I am pleased to join my colleagues in announcing this major project for the Abitibi-Témiscamingue region and part of Nord-du-Québec. We have entrusted Videotron with the important task of rolling out high-speed Internet services to 13,000 homes by September 2022. We are investing heavily to make Québec the connectivity leader.”
Gilles Bélanger, Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier of Québec (high-speed Internet)
“Videotron is proud to have been chosen to connect these homes in the region to high-speed Internet. Our arrival in Abitibi households a little over a year ago has transformed the local telecommunications landscape and we want to go even further. Thanks to this initiative, the entire region will finally have access to services that are on a par with those available in the major urban centres, at the same price.”
Pierre Karl Péladeau, President and CEO of Quebecor
Highlights
- Operation High Speed is a joint initiative by the governments of Canada and Québec to connect 148,000 households that are still without high-speed Internet. Videotron will be responsible for connecting 37,000 of these homes.
- Videotron will build a fibre optic-based new-generation network that supports speeds well above the 50/10 Mbps required by the government. Local residents will have access to Helix, Videotron’s new home entertainment and connected lifestyle experience.
- See the full list of municipalities that will be served by Videotron.
- The new connections include the households that will be connected under the Régions branchées project. Videotron will begin work immediately and complete the project by September 30, 2022.
If you live in a currently underserved community and have questions, visit our website to follow the project’s progress.
About Videotron
Videotron, a wholly owned subsidiary of Quebecor Media Inc., is an integrated communications company engaged in television, entertainment, Internet access, wireline telephone and mobile telephone services. Videotron is a leader in new technologies with its Helix home entertainment and management platform. As of December 31, 2020, Videotron was serving 1,475,600 cable television customers and 469,000 subscribers to its Club illico video streaming service. Videotron is also the Québec leader in high‑speed Internet access, with 1,796,800 subscribers as of December 31, 2020. As of the same date, Videotron had 1,481,100 subscriber connections to its mobile telephone service and was providing wireline telephone service to 924,700 Québec households and organizations.
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Media contact:
Merick Séguin
Public Relations Advisor, Corporate Affairs
Merick.seguin@videotron.com
Marie-Pier Baril
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development
marie-pier.baril@cfc-swc.gc.ca
613 295-8123
Alexandra Roy
Political Attaché
Office of the Premier
819 212-0459
