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Manitoba Liberals promise to boost cell and internet service in the north

The Manitoba Liberals says they'll bring cellphone service and high-speed internet to every northern community if elected.
The Manitoba Liberals says they'll bring cellphone service and high-speed internet to every northern community if elected. AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh, File

Manitoba Liberals say they would bring cellphone service and high-speed internet to every northern community if they win the Sept. 10 provincial election.

Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont says he would work with Manitoba Hydro’s existing fibre-optic system and Indigenous communication companies to cover remote areas.

He estimates it would cost $20 million as part of a cost-shared deal with the federal government, although he did not provide a detailed breakdown of the figure.

READ MORE: Manitoba Election 2019 Promise Tracker: Where do the parties stand on the major issues?

There are some northern communities which are not connected to the hydro system, and Lamont says he would use other technology in those cases.

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The Liberals say Manitoba is lagging behind Saskatchewan in connecting remote areas, and better connectivity would help economic development, health care and other services.

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