Gov't backs off-- CAP funding restored

Gov't backs off-- CAP funding restored

Globe and Mail Published on Wednesday, Mar. 17, 2010 12:00AM EDT Last updated on Wednesday, Mar. 17, 2010 2:55AM EDT
Iain Marlow

One week after the <http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/ottawa-to-continue-internet-access-funding/article1502826/#>federal government sent out letters detailing cuts to a program that promotes computer literacy among rural and low-income Canadians, Industry Minister Tony Clement said financing will continue. The $14-million-a-year Community Access Program (CAP) has facilitated free Internet at more than 3,000 locations across Canada since 1994. Many organizations received a letter from Industry Canada dated March 9, advising that financing would end for all but a few sites. It said government faced "challenging fiscal times" and Industry Minister Tony Clement's press secretary, Lynn Meahan, said CAP's budget would drop to $2-million annually, and financing would halt immediately for 93 per cent of CAP sites. However, after the letter became public, Mr. Clement told reporters that money would instead come from the government's broadband Internet strategy - though this was not mentioned before. Ms. Meahan said yesterday that financing will continue for all CAP sites and that a letter to that effect will "be going out shortly."