What did Canadians use before smoke signals?

Broadband.

MARKHAM, ON, Feb. 3, 2026;

Xplore Inc., a leading provider of high-speed broadband services to Canadians in rural communities, announced today that they will receive $60 million in combined provincial and federal funding, to bring faster, more reliable Internet to over 70,000 underserved households across Alberta — including more than 1,100 Indigenous households.

9 months later…

Xplore Inc., Canada’s largest rural broadband provider, has obtained creditor protection under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) as financial pressures mount with the expansion of rural fibre-optic networks.

While some Canadian farms have switched to other providers—particularly SpaceX’s Starlink—in recent years, Xplore says hundreds of thousands of rural households and businesses rely on its fixed-wireless, satellite, and fibre networks.

“Canada’s largest rural broadband provider” is owned by New York private equity firm Stonepeak Infrastructure Partners, with over 33B$ under management. Read about them here on the WEF website.

Government of Canada Grants and Contributions: Found 31 records…

But wait, there’s more.

… Telesat’s financial future is increasingly uncertain. On Dec. 6, a significant portion of the company’s debt comes due — and Telesat has warned it may not have enough cash to repay what it owes.

That raises a troubling question for Canadians: If Telesat can’t meet its financial obligations, who stands to lose? The answer depends on whether you’re a taxpayer, a pension plan member or an investor who bought into the promise of a Canadian satellite powerhouse.