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Canada is expanding high-speed Internet access in Saskatchewan

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2 years ago

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Federal investment of $160 million will connect 13,700 homes to high-speed Internet and provide mobile connectivity along 500 km of roads

LA RONGE, SK, June 3, 2024 /CNW/ – Fairness for every generation means making sure everyone in Canada has access to reliable and affordable high-speed Internet, no matter where they live. That is why the Government of Canada is bringing high-speed Internet access and mobile connectivity to underserved communities—namely Indigenous communities—and roads in Saskatchewan.

Today, the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, announced a total of up to $160 million in federal funding for projects to bring high-speed Internet access to communities across Saskatchewan and provide mobile connectivity along roads in the province.

Up to $105 million of this funding is being allocated to SaskTel for projects that will benefit up to 5,700 households in communities across West Central and Northern Saskatchewan, the majority of which are Indigenous. A list of communities to be connected by these projects, along with full project details, will be released at a later date. In addition, through its Capital Plan, SaskTel will upgrade the speed available in 19 more communities across the province to 50/10 megabits per second (Mbps).

The Minister also announced full details of seven federally funded projects to bring high-speed Internet access to more than 8,000 households, of which 3,200 are Indigenous, and two projects that will provide mobile service along 500 kilometres of roadway within Indigenous communities and along highways. The government will contribute $55 million in total for these projects. The funding recipients are Access Communications Co-operative Ltd., Advanced Interactive Canada Inc., BH Telecom Corp., Pheasant Rump Nakota First Nation in partnership with Sequorum Inc., Meadow Lake Tribal Council, and SaskTel.

The Government of Canada’s funding is provided through the Universal Broadband Fund, a program designed to ensure that Canadians in rural, remote and Indigenous communities have access to reliable high-speed Internet and mobile connectivity.

Everyone in Canada will have access to high-speed Internet by 2030, and 98% of Canadians will be connected by 2026. Canada is on track to meet its 2026 connectivity targets. These projects will build toward that goal, and the government will continue to invest in infrastructure that creates new opportunities in communities and makes sure they can benefit from all of Canada’s potential.

Quotes 

“High-speed Internet is no longer a luxury. The federal funding committed today will bring reliable high-speed Internet to up to 13,700 underserved homes in communities across Saskatchewan and provide mobile connectivity along 500 km of roads. It is only fair that communities large and small have a reliable connection so they can grow their potential in this digital world.”
– The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

“Access to reliable high-speed Internet service empowers people in urban, rural and northern communities by offering vital connections to education, health care, economic opportunities, and family and friends. The Government of Saskatchewan is committed to ensuring that every corner of our province has access to the tools and technologies needed to thrive in the digital age. I thank the Government of Canada for this funding, which will accelerate and enhance the more than $1 billion in investments that SaskTel is continuing to make to connect more than 225 communities and 85% of Saskatchewan homes to lightning-fast fibre Internet service.”
– Jim Lemaigre, Member of the Legislative Assembly for Athabasca, on behalf of the Honourable Dustin Duncan, Minister Responsible for SaskTel

Quick facts

Canada’s Connectivity Strategy aims to provide all Canadians with access to Internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download / 10 Mbps upload.The Universal Broadband Fund is a $3.225 billion investment by the Government of Canada designed to help provide high-speed Internet access to 98% of Canadians by 2026 and achieve the national target of 100% access by 2030.Today, 93.5% of Canadian households have access to high-speed Internet, compared to just 79% in 2014.Since 2015, the Government of Canada has invested $88 million in connectivity projects in Saskatchewan.

Associated links

Universal Broadband FundHigh-Speed Access for All: Canada’s Connectivity StrategyHigh-Speed Internet Access DashboardNational Broadband Internet Service Availability MapHigh-speed Internet for all CanadiansRural economic development

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SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

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IIFL Capital’s Maiden Late-Stage Private Equity Fund Announces First Close at ~ ₹500 Crore

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32 minutes ago

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October 22, 2026

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IIFL Capital’s Late-Stage Private Equity Fund targets a final close in excess of ₹1,000 crore within nine months from First CloseTwo transactions have already been committed with a pipeline of seven to eight deals under evaluation

MUMBAI, India, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — IIFL Capital Asset Management Limited, the Asset Management arm of IIFL Capital, today announced that the IIFL Late-Stage Private Equity Fund, the maiden fund of its private equity platform, achieved its first close on 15 September 2026 with aggregate capital commitments of ~ ₹500 crore. The Fund invests in scaled-up, profitable Indian enterprises that are preparing to list on the public markets in the near term.

The Fund is targeting a total corpus of ₹1,000 crore, with a greenshoe option of additional ₹1,000 crore. It will remain open for subscription after the first close and aims to reach its final close within the next nine months. A larger corpus allows the Fund to back high-quality companies operating on a scale, in line with its late-stage, pre-IPO strategy.

The Fund is also evaluating a robust pipeline of opportunities, ranging from term sheet negotiations to transactions under diligence. The pipeline is diversified across integrated security-as-a-service, railway and wind energy components, specialty chemicals, defence equipment, IT-enabled services, pre-engineered buildings and consumer technology.

The Fund follows a clear mandate focused on scaled businesses nearing a public listing. The fund looks at sectors that envisage growth rate of 15%-18% per annum. The investee company should be amongst the top three-five players in its category, should have an EBITDA of at least ₹75-100 crore at investment with the intention to pursue IPO within three years. The average deal size is expected to be ₹50-100 crore per transaction.

Commenting on the milestone, Mr. Deepak Mittal, Chief Investment Officer and Head – Private Equity, IIFL Capital Asset Management Limited, said: “The first close marks the point at which this Fund moves from being a proposition to being a portfolio. We are grateful to our investors for their confidence in a volatile global environment. With two high-quality transactions already committed and a live pipeline of seven to eight opportunities, we believe IIFL’s capabilities give us a distinct advantage in backing scaled enterprises on their journey to the public markets.”

The first close comes in the backdrop of India’s primary market revival. After a subdued April-June quarter, July and August 2026 together saw 35 mainboard IPOs, and foreign portfolio investors returned as net buyers, including through IPOs. Real GDP grew 7.8% in Q1 FY27, with gross fixed capital formation up 11.9%, supporting the sectors the Fund is targeting.

About IIFL Capital Asset Management Limited

IIFL Capital Asset Management Limited (formerly IIFL Securities Alternate Asset Management Limited) is the Investment Manager for Alternative Investment Funds sponsored by IIFL Capital Services Limited. It is registered with SEBI as an Alternative Investment Fund manager (IN/AIF3/19-20/0770, IN/AIF2/21-22/088), Investment Adviser (INA000019956) and Portfolio Manager (INP000009445). Registered office: Ground Floor 01, Hubtown Solaris, Saiwadi, N S Phadke Road, Andheri East, Mumbai 400069. Website: assetmanagement.iiflcapital.com

About IIFL Capital Services Ltd

IIFL Capital Services Ltd (formerly known as IIFL Securities Limited) (NSE: IIFLCAPS) (BSE: 542773) is one of the key capital market players in the Indian financial services space. IIFL Capital offers broking services, wealth management, financial products distribution, institutional broking, research and investment banking services.

Disclaimer: This press release is for information purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy any units of the IIFL Late-Stage Private Equity Fund or any securities. Investments in alternative investment funds are subject to market and other risks, including loss of capital. Investors should read the Private Placement Memorandum, including the risk factors, before investing. Registration granted by SEBI, enlistment with BSE, and certification from NISM in no way guarantee performance of the intermediary or provide any assurance of returns to investors. Past performance of securities/instruments is not indicative of their future performance.

 

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Snapmaker Introduces New Filament Bundle, Expanding Its Full Spectrum Printing Ecosystem

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32 minutes ago

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October 22, 2026

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The Snapmaker PLA Full Spectrum Filament Bundle (White Edition) combines pure-white capability, more saturated cyan, magenta, and yellow filaments, and finely tuned light-transmission properties for vibrant, natural-looking color mixes. It expands Snapmaker’s integrated ecosystem of dedicated materials, Snapmaker Orca software, and U1 hardware.

SHENZHEN, China, Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ — Snapmaker has introduced the Snapmaker PLA Full Spectrum Filament Bundle (White Edition), expanding the creative possibilities of layered color mixing on Snapmaker U1. The four-spool set combines semi-translucent cyan, magenta, yellow, and white PLA filaments to produce a broader palette, from vivid color mixes and soft pastels to directly printed pure-white details.

“Together with the reformulated color filaments, the addition of white opens up a broader range of visual styles.” — Blayne Sapelli, Creative Marketing Manager at Snapmaker.

Four Filaments, Beyond Four Colors

Full Spectrum color mixing creates additional perceived colors by alternating thin layers of semi-translucent filaments along the Z-axis. As light interacts with these layers, their colors blend visually, allowing a single print to go beyond the four loaded filament colors.

Snapmaker Orca, Snapmaker’s official slicing software, supports this layered color mixing workflow. Together with U1’s multi-toolhead architecture, it provides a practical foundation for exploring more colors with a small set of materials.

Radu “Ratdoux,” creator of Full Spectrum and now part of the Snapmaker team, said: “Full Spectrum changes the way we think about color in consumer FDM printing. Instead of adding more and more individual filament colors, we can use a small set of calibrated materials together with software and multi-toolhead hardware to generate a much broader spectrum. Our goal is to make that process simple enough that users can focus on what they want to create rather than how to engineer the color.”

Filaments Engineered for Brighter Color

White filament brings two distinct benefits: it enables pure-white areas that layered color mixing alone cannot produce, and it brightens mixed colors while reducing saturation for lighter, softer tones. Reformulated cyan, magenta, and yellow filaments offer stronger saturation, helping deliver more vibrant mixes.

The filaments’ color and Transmission Distance properties are tuned to promote natural blending and help reduce visible horizontal stripes. On Snapmaker U1, RFID recognition automatically loads preset filament information, simplifying setup.

These properties give creators more flexibility to combine vivid accents, gentle shades, and white details in character models, collectibles, home décor, and sculptural artwork. The four-spool approach also reduces the need to store separate filament colors for occasional use.

“Adding white is a meaningful step for creators who want lighter palettes and pure-white details within the same four-spool setup,” said Blayne Sapelli, Creative Marketing Manager at Snapmaker, “Together with the reformulated color filaments, it opens up a different range of visual styles. It also reflects how we are building our ecosystem: developing dedicated materials around real creative needs and connecting them with the tools people use to print.”

An Integrated Ecosystem for Color Creation

The Snapmaker PLA Full Spectrum Filament Bundle (White Edition) joins the Snapmaker PLA Full Spectrum Filament Bundle (Gray Edition) and the SnapSpeed PLA CMYK Lithophane Filament Bundle, expanding Snapmaker’s official lineup to three purpose-designed bundles.

The two PLA Full Spectrum bundles are designed for three-dimensional color mixing. The new bundle enables brighter mixes, softer pastels, and pure-white details, while the Gray Edition offers darker, more muted tones. The CMYK Lithophane bundle is optimized for flat, layered-color printing, including colorful backlit lithophanes made from photographs and illustrations.

Built around U1 and Snapmaker Orca, the lineup connects specialized materials with hardware and software support.

Pricing and Product Information

The bundle is priced at US$89 and contains four 1 kg spools, totaling 4 kg. For product details and regional purchasing information, visit the official product page.

About Snapmaker

Snapmaker makes products that empower everyone to change the world — literally. From 3-in-1 desktop fabrication machines to the Snapmaker U1 multicolor, multimaterial, toolchanger 3D printer, to the software that powers it all, Snapmaker is building an ecosystem that democratizes creation. Snapmaker: Make Something Wonderful.

For more information, visit Snapmaker.com.

Media Contact

Hao Jiang, Snapmaker, 86 13588745216, jianghao@snapmaker.com, www.snapmaker.com

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SOURCE Snapmaker

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Today, Intelligent Legal Solutions (ILS) and Anduin announced a partnership to provide a more streamlined service for both fund managers and law firms

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32 minutes ago

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October 22, 2026

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PALO ALTO, Calif., Oct. 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Intelligent Legal Solutions (ILS) and Anduin have announced a partnership to create a more connected fundraising experience for private markets fund managers and law firms.

ILS is the legal technology company behind ProVision, a platform for private investment funds lawyers and their clients, while Anduin provides technology for private markets fundraising and investor operations. Through the partnership, the companies will build an integration connecting their platforms to support a more streamlined, end-to-end fundraising process.

Launched in 2024, ILS works with 89% of law firms ranked in the top three bands by Chambers USA for Private Equity: Fund Formation nationwide. Its technology has supported fundraises totaling more than $825 billion across North America, the UK, EMEA and APAC.

Anduin’s platform has supported more than 1,300 private investment funds, onboarded over 76,000 investors and powered more than $265 billion in capital raised. Its customers represent more than $7 trillion in aggregate assets under management.

Fergus Plant, Co-Founder of ILS, said: “We are hugely excited to announce our partnership with Anduin. They are a mainstay of the private markets tech space, and we are proud to collaborate to bring a more complete solution to our customers. Our recent launch of the Fund Manager Portal for ProVision more closely aligns our customers, deepening the benefits of this relationship.”

Eliot Hodges, CEO of Anduin, said: “Fundraising still involves too many handoffs between systems, teams and advisers. By connecting Anduin’s subscription and investor onboarding workflows with ProVision’s side letter, comment memo, MFN and obligation management capabilities, we can help firms carry data more seamlessly through the fundraising process and reduce the operational burden around close.”

Read more at https://anduintransact.com/blog/anduin-partners-with-ils 

Fund managers and law firms interested in learning more can contact:

About Anduin
Anduin is the leading digital platform for managing fund lifecycles and LP relationships. The company has facilitated $118 billion in global capital and supports 48,000+ investors across 890+ funds. Learn more at anduintransact.com.

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SOURCE Anduin Transactions

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