How much funding can be received?

Funds up to 90% of admissible expenses.

What is the deadline to apply?

The program is accepting continuous intake

What are Universal Broadband Fund's eligibility criterias?

A corporation (for-profit or not-for-profit) incorporated in Canada Builds, owns, and operates broadband infrastructure, or contracts with eligible entities to do so

Universal Broadband Fund

Q: Who are the financial supporters of the Universal Broadband Fund?

Universal Broadband Fund is funded by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), Government of Canada, Innovation Canada

Last Update: June 12, 2025

Canada

Funding to bring broadband to remote areas

Universal Broadband Fund at a glance

Eligible Funding

Up to 90% of project cost

Timeline

Open Date : December 2, 2020
Closing date : March 15, 2021

Financing Type

Grant and Funding

Eligible Industries

Information and cultural industries

Grant Providers

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED)
Government of Canada
Innovation Canada

Status

Closed

Overview of the Universal Broadband Fund program

Get funding to cover up to 90% of project costs for broadband infrastructure projects that will bring high-speed Internet at 50/10 Megabits per second to rural and remote communities by March 31, 2027.

Financing terms and conditions

Funding covers up to 75% of total eligible costs for broadband projects.
Funding covers up to 90% of total eligible costs for projects targeting very remote areas, satellite-dependent or Indigenous communities, and for mobile projects benefiting Indigenous peoples.
Total public funding from all government sources cannot exceed 100% of eligible project costs (stacking limit).
The final funding amount is determined by the program and may be less than requested.

Eligible projects & activities

Deployment of broadband infrastructure to provide high-speed Internet (minimum 50/10 Mbps) to rural and remote areas lacking adequate service.
Expansion or enhancement of household access to high-speed Internet in eligible underserved communities.
Implementation of mobile connectivity projects that primarily benefit Indigenous peoples, including mobile coverage along unserved roads and highways strategic for Indigenous community development or public safety.
Projects that deliver advanced mobile services (minimum 4G LTE) to Indigenous communities currently lacking service.

Examples of admissible projects:

$ 4,050,000

Building new broadband infrastructure to cover underserved areas

$ 18,000,000

Enhancing Internet connectivity along highways from Nanaimo to remote villages

$ 6,300,000

Introducing high-speed Internet for remote areas near Whitehorse

$ 5,850,000

Deploying high-speed Internet infrastructure in remote Aboriginal communities near Saskatoon

$ 4,500,000

Deploying broadband infrastructure to serve Indigenous communities near Thunder Bay

$ 2,700,000

Expanding rural broadband access for agricultural communities

Eligibility criteria of the Universal Broadband Fund program

The applicant must be a corporation (for-profit or not-for-profit) incorporated in Canada, a Canadian provincial, territorial, or municipal entity, an Indigenous entity, a public sector body established by statute or wholly owned by a government, or a partnership, joint venture or consortium composed of these entities.
The applicant must build, own, and operate broadband infrastructure or enter into a contractual arrangement with an eligible entity to design, build, own, and operate such infrastructure.
The proposed project must extend or enhance high-speed Internet access to areas lacking 50/10 Mbps service, or provide mobile connectivity benefiting Indigenous peoples.
The applicant must submit all required forms, templates, supporting documents, and meet program deadlines as specified by the fund.

Who is eligible?

For-profit corporations incorporated in Canada
Not-for-profit corporations incorporated in Canada
Canadian provincial, territorial, or municipal entities
Indigenous entities, such as organizations run by and for First Nations, Métis, or Inuit peoples, band councils, or Indigenous government authorities established by Self-Government or Comprehensive Land Claim Agreements
Public sector bodies established by statute, regulation, or owned by a province, municipal, or regional government providing community services
Partnerships, joint ventures, or consortia composed of any of the above eligible entities

Who is not eligible

Federal entities, including Crown Corporations.

Eligible expenses

Direct labour costs (gross wages or salaries for project-specific work).
Direct material costs (materials used in project implementation).
Direct equipment costs (equipment required for project completion, such as servers, switches, fibre optic cable, repeaters, radio equipment, towers, poles, backup power supplies, shelters, and network connectivity devices including upgrades).
Direct satellite capacity costs (purchase or lease of satellite bandwidth or capacity used for the project).
Direct travel costs required for project execution, provided they are necessary and documented, and charged at actual economy rates.
Other direct costs that can be specifically identified and measured as incurred to implement the project.

Eligible geographic areas

Areas in Canada identified by the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) Availability Map as having Internet service below 50/10 Mbps.
Geographic areas in rural and remote communities across Canada.
Unserved Indigenous communities and unserved roads leading to or within Indigenous communities, as designated on ISED's Availability Map.

Eligibility criteria of the Universal Broadband Fund program

Managerial and financial capacity to deliver and sustain the project for at least five years after completion.
Technical feasibility and sustainability of the proposed network or technology solution.
Co-funding from additional partners (e.g., provincial, municipal, private sector), where applicable.
Scalability and potential to increase speeds or coverage beyond the minimum requirements.
Demonstrated social and economic benefits for the targeted community, including impacts on connectivity, economic development, and inclusion of underrepresented groups.

How to apply to the Universal Broadband Fund program

Access the UBF Application Portal

Create a secure login using GcKey ID and set up your Broadband Connection account.
Gain access to the UBF Applicant Portal.

Prepare Required Documentation

Download and complete the necessary templates, including the Eligibility and Impacts Calculator and Detailed Budget.
Gather supporting documents, such as financial statements and project schedules.

Eligibility Mapping and Statistics

Use the Eligibility Mapping Tool to define and validate your project coverage area.
Upload the generated coverage map and associated statistics.

Fill Out the UBF Application Form

Complete the Application Form with required project and contact information.
Ensure that all mandatory fields are filled, and necessary attachments are prepared.

Upload Supporting Documents and Templates

Upload completed templates and required supporting documents through the portal.
Ensure documents are named correctly and follow the specified format.

Validate and Submit

Use the Validate and Save function to check for errors in your application.
Submit your complete application through the portal before the deadline.

Confirmation of Submission

Receive confirmation of your application submission and retain the reference number.

Additional information

ISED offers dedicated pathfinder services, including webinars and direct support, to help applicants navigate the UBF application process and build partnerships.
Applicants are required to follow confidentiality protocols and can mark sensitive information as "Proprietary" or "Confidential" in their submissions.
Successful recipients must acknowledge the Government of Canada's contribution in all public communications related to the funded project.
Projects may be subject to environmental impact assessments and Indigenous consultation requirements, depending on the project's scope and location.