KANANASKIS – Underserved households in Kananaskis are getting a much-needed boost to bridge the digital divide and connect to high-speed internet.
An application by Kananaskis Improvement District (KID) to the Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) was successful, with funding announced in June to serve 68 residences mostly located in the Mount Kidd RV Parks and the Kananaskis Country Golf Course subdivision.
“Ready and reliable access to the internet is an integral part of our daily lives,” said KID council chair Melanie Gnyp.
“Rural communities such as Kananaskis have an even greater need for good internet given that they do not enjoy the same access to services as those in urban communities. Local residents and businesses have told us that the attraction and retention of staff is critically tied to internet access, particularly for social connection, recreation, education and health care.”
Residents able to connect to internet report download speeds of about eight megabytes per second (Mbps) and upload speeds of around three Mbps – a far cry from the federal government’s target of 50 Mbps download speed and 10 Mbps upload speed.
Many residents currently rely on contract satellite services like Xplornet or Starlink, “or resort to good ‘ol dial-up on their phone lines,” said Gnyp.
KID council has discussed potential benefits of improving connectivity for visitors for public safety reasons in the remote region, as well, but the UBF project will not support broader visitor access.
Improving telecommunications has been a strategic priority for KID council the last number of years, especially along the Highway 40 corridor from Highway 1 through to the terminus of Kananaskis Lakes Trail in the south. Council has a telecommunications committee and applied to the UBF in 2021.
Expected project cost to connect households in Mount Kidd RV Park and the golf course subdivision is about $1.5 million. The federal government is contributing $559,436, which is being matched by the province. KID’s contribution will cover the remaining $390,458. Contribution from the improvement district was a requirement of receiving the grant.
“KID is very grateful to the federal and provincial governments for supporting our goal of enhancing connectivity within the region,” said Gnyp. “At a time when it seems that the different levels of governments are often at odds, this is a great example of how all three levels of government can work together to deliver valuable outcomes for Canadians.”
Project scope may involve tower installations and running underground fibre optic cable; however, details have not been finalized and KID will be looking to a contractor for guidance.
Council’s timeline to deliver on the project and utilize grant funding is by June 2026.
Gnyp noted that with Kananaskis recently announced to host the G7 Leaders’ Summit in June 2025, the federal government, which is responsible for planning and executing the meeting of world leaders, “will have very specific needs with respect to connectivity and will assume the responsibility for ensuring those requirements are met.”
The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada. The position covers Îyârhe (Stoney) Nakoda First Nation and Kananaskis Country.
