Federal investment of over $141 million will help connect more than 30,000 homes to high–speed Internet

HUMBOLDT, SK, July 24, 2026 /CNW/ — Reliable and affordable high-speed Internet is essential for all Canadians. It enables access to important online resources, connects friends and families, and drives economic growth and innovation. This is why the Government of Canada is helping bring high-speed Internet access to underserved communities–including Indigenous communities–in Saskatchewan.

Today, the Honourable Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State for Rural Development, announced over $141 million in federal funding for six projects to bring high-speed Internet access to more than 30,000 households in over 500 rural and remote communities across Saskatchewan.

This 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.

The Government of Canada has committed to ensuring that every household in Canada has access to high-speed Internet by 2030, and it is on track to meet this connectivity target. These projects will build toward that goal, and the government will continue to invest in infrastructure that creates new opportunities and makes sure communities can benefit from all of Canada’s potential.

Quotes

“High-speed Internet is no longer just a luxury–it’s essential infrastructure, no matter where you live in Canada. It’s how people access health care virtually, start a business or just stay in touch with their loved ones. That’s why we made a historic commitment to provide 100% of Canadian households with access to high-speed Internet by 2030. The projects announced today are a major milestone for connectivity in Saskatchewan, providing reliable and affordable high-speed Internet to more than 30,000 underserved homes in over 500 rural and remote communities across the province.”
– The Honourable Buckley Belanger, Secretary of State for Rural Development

“In many rural and remote areas, connectivity projects like these face a number of financial and structural barriers. Federal tools like the Canada Infrastructure Bank help bridge that gap, ensuring critical infrastructure is built where it otherwise would not be. By supporting initiatives like this, we are advancing economic growth today and helping close the connectivity gap for underserved communities well into the future.”
– The Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada

“Access to dependable high-speed Internet should not be determined by where people live. Thanks to support from the Government of Canada through the Universal Broadband Fund, RFNOW is delivering the infrastructure needed to connect underserved rural and First Nations communities across Saskatchewan. Together, we are building a stronger digital future that will enhance economic development, support essential services and improve quality of life for thousands of Canadians.”
– Chris Kennedy, Chief Executive Officer, RFNOW Inc.

“Every community deserves the opportunity that comes with access to reliable high-speed Internet–and that’s exactly what this investment delivers. In partnership with the Government of Canada’s Universal Broadband Fund, Xplore is bringing high-speed Internet connectivity to nearly 20,000 homes and businesses in Saskatchewan. Better connectivity means more than faster downloads–it means students can learn without interruption, families can access health care from home, and local businesses can compete on a level playing field.”
– Brent Johnston, Chief Executive Officer, Xplore Inc.

“Since our establishment in 2007, we have been committed to providing dependable Internet service and strengthening connections in the communities we serve. With support from the Government of Canada’s Universal Broadband Fund, we’re excited to expand our network and introduce new 6 GHz fixed wireless technology capable of delivering speeds of up to 1 Gbps. This project will help more residents of rural and remote communities access the reliable high-speed connectivity they need for work, education, health care, business and everyday life.”
– Allen Stafford, President, Stafford Communications Inc.

“Beaver River Broadband has secured federal Universal Broadband Fund support to deliver fibre-to-the-home infrastructure directly to Peepeekisis Cree Nation. This critical investment guarantees gigabit-capable Internet access that will transform local opportunities in digital education, remote health care and community-led economic development. Crucially, the project underscores the importance of partnering with smaller, regional Internet providers that bring deep community roots, agile deployment and a dedicated focus on serving areas that larger national carriers often overlook. As an Indigenous-led regional provider working closely with First Nations, Beaver River Broadband understands the unique needs of the area and delivers tailored, reliable customer support on the ground. Empowering local providers through initiatives like the Universal Broadband Fund ensures that underserved First Nations are not just connected but also supported by partners invested in their long-term digital sovereignty.”
– John DeGraauw, CEO, Beaver River Broadband

“MCSnet’s fibre-to-the-tower expansion in Saskatchewan will deliver fast, highly reliable Internet access to underserved homes in rural Saskatchewan, courtesy of a dedicated, community-invested provider. As a family-owned company based in the Prairies, we have been serving rural communities with our innovative technology and exceptional customer service for over 30 years.”
– Jerome VanBrabant, Chief Projects Officer, MCSnet

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 Canadian households by the end of 2026 and achieve the national target of 100% access by 2030.Today, 97.4% of Canadian households have access to high-speed Internet, compared to just 79% in 2014.In Saskatchewan, 89.2% of households currently have access to high-speed internet.Since 2015, the Government of Canada has invested $242 million in connectivity projects in Saskatchewan.The Canada Infrastructure Bank has committed more than $2 billion toward digital (broadband) infrastructure, closing last-mile connectivity gaps across Canada.Indigenous women, girls, Two-Spirit individuals and gender diverse people are more likely to go missing or be murdered than non-Indigenous women. Better connectivity means more tools in moments of danger, enabling victims of violence to access critical online resources and get help when they need it most.Building on the Building a Green Prairie Economy Act, the Government of Canada launched the Prairie Partnership Initiative to build a dynamic, sustainable and inclusive economy in the Prairie provinces.

Associated links

Rural economic developmentHigh-Speed Internet Access DashboardUniversal Broadband FundBackgrounder: Universal Broadband Fund and Telesat low Earth orbit capacity agreementCanada Infrastructure Bank: Digital Infrastructure and AIHigh-Speed Access for All: Canada’s Connectivity StrategyNational Broadband MapFederal Pathway to Address Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls and 2SLGBTQQIA+ PeoplePrairie Partnership Initiative

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SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Organizations are increasingly focused on modernizing their digital presence to meet rising user expectations, yet many still rely on decentralized content models, inconsistent governance, and legacy platforms. New findings from Info-Tech Research Group show that without a structured web experience management (WEM) strategy, web initiatives often fail to align with business goals and user needs. The firm’s blueprint Develop Your Web Experience Management Strategy provides a five-phase framework and tools to help IT leaders strengthen governance and align web priorities with organizational objectives.

ARLINGTON, Va., July 24, 2026 /CNW/ — Organizations continue to invest in digital platforms and web modernization efforts, but progress is often limited by unclear priorities, inconsistent ownership, and a lack of shared performance measures. New insights from Info-Tech Research Group indicate that without a clear understanding of web experience maturity and readiness, digital investments fail to translate into consistent and measurable outcomes. The global research and advisory firm’s recently published blueprint, Develop Your Web Experience Management Strategy, provides a structured five-phase methodology to assess current-state capabilities, define priority audiences and journeys, and build a practical roadmap for evolving the web ecosystem in alignment with organizational objectives.

“Web experience management has moved beyond basic websites to become a core driver of growth and engagement,” says Hriday Gulrajani, senior research analyst at Info-Tech Research Group. “CIOs and IT leaders need to align marketing, data, and technology teams under clear governance and a structured roadmap to deliver consistent, scalable digital experiences.”

Info-Tech’s blueprint shows that many organizations treat web modernization as a technology upgrade rather than a coordinated experience strategy. As a result, content operations remain decentralized, integration between core systems such as CMS, CRM, and analytics platforms is inconsistent, and governance responsibilities are not clearly defined. While capabilities such as personalization, automation, and advanced analytics offer opportunities to improve engagement and operational efficiency, organizations often lack a structured framework for prioritizing initiatives and measuring progress across the web ecosystem.

Key Challenges IT Leaders Face in Web Experience Management
Despite ongoing investment in digital platforms and experience initiatives, many organizations encounter structural and operational barriers that limit progress. Info-Tech’s research highlights several persistent challenges:

Content decisions are often made in silos, resulting in inconsistent messaging, fragmented governance, and unclear ownership across teams.Limited integration between CMS, CRM, analytics, and other core systems restricts visibility into user behavior and makes it difficult to measure and improve web experience performance.Legacy platforms and constrained architectures limit personalization, automation, accessibility, and multichannel delivery capabilities.Misalignment between marketing, IT, and data teams slows decision-making and weakens the organization’s ability to evolve its web ecosystem strategically.

Info-Tech’s Practical Framework for Web Experience Management
To address these challenges, Info-Tech recommends a structured five-phase approach that connects organizational strategy, customer experience priorities, and web execution. The Develop Your Web Experience Management Strategy blueprint outlines the following priorities for CIOs and IT leaders:

Phase 1: Define Vision & Success Criteria – Align WEM objectives to organizational strategy, define strategic outcomes, and establish experience KPIs to measure performance across digital touchpoints.

Phase 2: Assess Current State & Readiness – Use a web experience maturity model to evaluate capabilities across people, process, technology, and performance, and identify integration gaps and readiness risks.

Phase 3: Understand Audiences & Experience Priorities – Define priority personas, map end-to-end journeys, and translate organizational goals into structured web experience use cases prioritized by value and feasibility.

Phase 4: Architect & Govern the Ecosystem – Establish architecture principles, design the target-state WEM ecosystem, and define governance structures and operating models that clarify roles, ownership, and decision rights.

Phase 5: Launch, Communicate, & Measure – Develop a phased roadmap aligned to key value drivers, implement performance measurement frameworks, and enable continuous optimization across the web ecosystem.

Info-Tech’s Develop Your Web Experience Management Strategy blueprint is supported by a Web Experience Management Business Case Template and a Web Experience Initiatives Prioritization and Roadmap Planning Tool. These resources are designed to help CIOs and IT leaders build a clear case for modernization, prioritize initiatives based on value and feasibility, and develop phased roadmaps aligned to organizational objectives. By applying this framework and its supporting tools, organizations can strengthen governance, improve cross-functional alignment, and evolve their web ecosystem in a measurable and scalable way.

For exclusive and timely commentary from Info-Tech’s experts, including Hriday Gulrajani, and access to the complete Develop Your Web Experience Management Strategy blueprint, please contact pr@infotech.com.

About Info-Tech Research Group
Info-Tech Research Group is one of the world’s leading and fastest-growing research and advisory firms, serving over 30,000 IT, HR, and marketing professionals around the globe. As a trusted product and service leader, the company delivers unbiased, highly relevant research and industry-leading advisory support to help leaders make strategic, timely, and well-informed decisions. For nearly 30 years, Info-Tech has partnered closely with teams to provide everything they need, from actionable tools to expert guidance, ensuring they deliver measurable results for their organizations. 

To learn more about Info-Tech’s HR research and advisory services, visit McLean & Company, and for data-driven software buying insights and vendor evaluations, visit the firm’s SoftwareReviews platform. 

Media professionals can register for unrestricted access to research across IT, HR, and software, as well as hundreds of industry analysts through the firm’s Media Insiders program. To gain access, contact pr@infotech.com. 

For information about Info-Tech Research Group or to access the latest research, visit infotech.com and connect via LinkedIn and X. 

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SOURCE Info-Tech Research Group

The article explains how an integrated fabrication process supports better quality, efficiency, and long-term project success.

ROCHESTER, N.Y., July 24, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — What should someone look for before selecting an aluminum fabrication partner who can guide a project from the first design sketch through final delivery? That question is answered in a HelloNation article featuring insights from Custom Fabrication Expert  Mark Coyle of American Custom Metals, Inc. in Rochester, New York, that explains how the full aluminum production workflow shapes accuracy, consistency, and long-term reliability. The article shows why a clear understanding of each stage in the process helps people make informed decisions before committing to a fabrication partner.

The article begins by explaining that aluminum fabrication involves far more than cutting or welding. It describes how every project moves through a connected chain of design support, extrusion, machining, finishing, and logistics. Each step affects the next, and the article notes that the best results come from choosing an aluminum fabrication partner who keeps these stages aligned. By showing how coordination prevents errors, the article gives readers a practical way to evaluate a potential shop.

Early design support is a major focus of the article. It states that many projects benefit when design engineering is handled in-house because small adjustments to a profile can influence strength, weight, and final performance. The HelloNation article explains that an aluminum fabrication partner with internal design capabilities can review shapes before tooling begins, reducing the risk of delays caused by unrealistic or difficult-to-extrude features. This design stage sets the direction for everything that follows, making it one of the most valuable parts of the process.

The article also examines extrusion, which it calls one of the most specialized stages in aluminum manufacturing. It notes that some shops do not extrude their own material, which forces them to rely on outside mills. That structure can lead to longer schedules and more points of communication. By contrast, an aluminum fabrication partner with direct access to extrusion equipment can control die design, schedule production runs, and manage metal flow more precisely. The article explains that this control reduces variation between batches, which supports stable timelines and more predictable quality.

Machining receives detailed attention as well. The article states that accuracy depends on how well each machine is calibrated for the specific alloy and geometry involved. It describes how a fabricator who machines their own extrusions becomes familiar with how those profiles respond to different tool paths and cutting forces. This familiarity supports tighter tolerances and more dependable results. The article explains that when machining is outsourced, the receiving shop may not know the conditions under which the material was extruded or aged, which can cause small adjustments that affect uniformity across long runs.

Finishing is another important stage explored in the article. It explains how anodizing, powder coating, polishing, or protective layers interact with thickness and alloy. The article notes that when finishing is spread across multiple vendors, the project moves more often, which increases the chance for delays or inconsistency. An aluminum fabrication partner with integrated finishing services can keep color and coating texture more uniform while maintaining a tighter schedule.

Logistics also plays a key role in the article’s guidance. It highlights that aluminum profiles, especially long or delicate ones, require thoughtful packaging, palletizing, and freight planning. A shop with its own logistics team can reduce damage risks and speed up the time between manufacturing and delivery. The article explains that when logistics is outsourced, communication slows down and the chances of errors increase, making it harder to keep a project on schedule.

Tolerance control is another subject the article describes. It explains that aluminum reacts to heat, pressure, and machining forces in predictable ways only when the team understands how the material was formed at every stage. The article notes that when extrusion, aging, machining, and inspection all occur within one operation, teams can maintain a closed loop of information. This reduces the risk of dimensional issues and strengthens consistency from batch to batch.

As the article moves toward its conclusion, it emphasizes that choosing the right aluminum fabrication partner comes down to understanding how many stages the shop directly manages. When a partner controls design, extrusion, machining, finishing, and logistics, communication becomes clearer, and the workflow becomes more predictable. The article explains that this unified structure allows teams to adjust quickly because they understand every step of the operation.

The article ends by stating that dependable performance in aluminum work depends on how well each stage connects to the next. A strong aluminum fabrication partner is defined not by one capability but by how the entire process fits together. This guidance gives readers a practical way to evaluate potential partners and make decisions that support long-term project success.

What to Know Before Choosing an Aluminum Fabrication Partner features insights from Mark Coyle, Custom Fabrication Expert of Rochester, NY, in HelloNation.

About HelloNation
HelloNation is America’s Good News Network, a premier media platform built on the idea that good news travels faster when real people tell real stories. Through its community-focused publications and innovative “edvertising” approach, HelloNation delivers content that informs, inspires, and spotlights the leaders making a meaningful impact in their communities.

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SOURCE HelloNation