Nova Scotia gets $6M high-speed internet injection from feds

Industry Canada has announced approximately $6 million for Seaside Wireless Communications to bring high-speed internet to 14,000 homes in Nova Scotia.

The announcement was made todayatTruLeaf Technologies in Bible Hill by area MP Scott Armstrong andMinister of State for Science and Technology Ed Holder.

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Armstong said bringing high speed internet to areas with little or no internet accesswill not only help households, but local businesses as well.

"For rural Nova Scotia, the ability to have that level playing field of urban areas allows you to do a startup business in a small rural community," Armstrong said.

"That really does provide those small businesses, startup, the options of not going to the city but actually coming to the rural areas."

TruLeaf'spresident and CEO Gregg Curwinsaidthe improved broadband will allow his company,which creates vertical, indoor farming systems, to grow and expand into other areas. Curwin saidtoday's announcement bodes well for other companies to put down roots in rural parts of the province.

"I think if you're trying to attract any kind of company inrural Nova Scotia today, it's all about technology and that infrastructure," Curwin said. "I think that highlights the announcement today and why it's so important."

The communities that will benefit from the projectincludePictou, Antigonish, Colchester, Guysborough, Inverness, Halifax, Cape Breton, Cumberland, Richmond, St. Mary's and Victoria.

The project should be completed by August 2018 and is set to bringaverage speeds of 5 Mbps.