Resolution No. 18 – 08A
High Speed Internet Service

WHEREAS the Provincial Government recognizes agriculture as an integral part of the economy; and

WHEREAS the agricultural industry, despite the current upturn, has historically struggled with profitability; and

WHEREAS rural families need the same access to internet resources as urban families;

BE IT RESOLVED that SARM lobby the province and SaskTel to provide high speed internet service to all Saskatchewan residents.

Response from Honourable Ken Cheveldayoff, Minister of Crown Corporations

SaskTel leads the way in Canada, and probably in North America, in deploying commercial high speed internet to rural communities.
Upon completion of the CommunityNet II initiative in early 2007, SaskTel will have invested nearly $173 million in expanding this service and approximately 86% of the population of Saskatchewan will have access to SaskTel's High Speed Internet Service.
There are significant challenges in serving Saskatchewan's vast population.  SaskTel will continue to evaluate technologies that will allow for future phases of expansion.