QUEBEC CITY – The broadband file in the province of Quebec is now the direct responsibility of the premier’s office.
The provincial government announced Wednesday Orford MNA Gilles Bélanger is appointed as parliamentary assistant to the premier of Quebec, François Legault, and will be singularly focused on the deployment of high speed Internet to all of Quebec.
Until now, the broadband file has been the responsibility of the Ministry of Economy and Innovation (MEI), and a staff of about fifteen officials from that ministry has now been transferred to the premier’s office.
“The deployment of high-speed Internet throughout Quebec is a top priority for my government,” said premier Francois Legault, in the French language press release. “With the Covid-19 pandemic, we have seen an increase in needs across Quebec. It is no longer just an economic issue, but an essential need, especially with the increase in teleworking, advances in distance education and the advent of telemedicine.
“It is a horizontal issue that affects several ministries and that is why it can no longer be the sole responsibility of the Ministry of the Economy and Innovation. By transferring the file to the Minister of the Executive Council and by making Gilles Bélanger, a seasoned manager, my parliamentary assistant, we are giving ourselves the necessary tools to successfully deploy high-speed Internet throughout Quebec by 2022.”
