PEI Broadband Fund for Residents
The PEI Broadband Fund for Residents has been revised effective October 19, 2023. Please read carefully for changes to this program.
*Pre-Approval must be received BEFORE you incur any project costs*. You must receive an email from Innovation PEI notifying you that your PEI Broadband Fund for Residents application has been approved BEFORE you place any internet service order or make any purchases.
The PEI Broadband Fund for Residents provides funding to residential civic addresses that do not have access to a high-speed internet service provider in their local area. Residential civic addresses without access to high-speed internet (up to 50 Mbps download, 10 Mbps upload) may qualify for funding to improve broadband service.
The PEI Broadband Fund for Residents may cover up to 100% of eligible costs, to a maximum of $5,000, directly related to work completed to improve Internet Service at a qualifying residential civic address.
Am I eligible for funding?
The PEI Broadband Fund for Residents is available to residential civic addresses that have been identified as not having a feasible wired or wireless high-speed internet solution available. Funding is offered to add or upgrade internet service to meet the CRTC mandate (up to 50 Mbps download and 10 Mbps upload speeds) at qualified residential civic addresses. To find out if your residential civic address may qualify, please fill out the inquiry form by using the link below.
New project submissions from an applicant in default on any reporting, project completion or financial obligation to Innovation PEI will not be reviewed until a resolution to the default is reached.
What activities are supported?
Eligible project costs are costs to be incurred on or after October 19, 2023 are limited to:
- Equipment required to improve internet service speed to the residence, including low orbit satellite solutions, antennas, tripods, towers and poles;
- Fibre/cable installation if your driveway is greater than 300 feet, as measured from where your driveway connects to the road;
- Standard residential hardware equipment;
- Installation of the required equipment by certified third-party operators to a maximum of $350 (including tax); and
- Taxes that a resident is not eligible to have refunded.
Other cost-effective solutions may be considered. Please complete and submit the below inquiry form.
NOTE: Any permit requirements are the sole responsibility of the applicant or contractor.
What activities are NOT supported?
You are non-eligible for funding if the residential civic address has reached the maximum funding contribution of $5,000 under this program or the PEI Broadband Residential Pilot program.
Activities and costs that are not supported include, but are not limited to:
- Costs incurred by a service provider to determine if service may be available (bucket truck sightings, etc.);
- The first 300 feet or less of fibre/cable installation from the road to the residence, as measured from where your driveway connects to the road;
- Standard costs for a new customer premises connection, including connection fee, Wi-Fi router/router, ethernet adapters, or modem;
- Any leased equipment;
- Any project costs, including the purchase of equipment, incurred prior to receipt of an approval email notification from Innovation PEI.
- Innovation PEI may decline any costs not identified in the approved application.
- Work related to providing internet service at a non-residential civic address;
- Work related to providing internet service or boosting an internet signal to multiple dwellings at the civic address and/or to a neighbouring civic address;
- Maintenance, upgrade, or removal of equipment or infrastructure;
- Other items deemed not reasonably related to improving internet speed to a residential civic address;
- Any costs related to a residential civic address that has reached its maximum contribution level of $5,000;
- Any portion of the cost of an asset that, in the opinion of Innovation PEI, exceeds the fair market value of the asset;
- Service providers that are NOT certified third-party operators; and
- Installation costs greater than $350 (including tax).
If there is a cost-effective solution that will provide significant improvement to your service that does not meet the eligibility requirements, please inquire here.
What level of assistance is available?
Approved applicants will receive funding of up to 100% of the eligible project costs, to a maximum of $5,000 per qualified residential civic address.
What process will be followed to assess your application?
PEI Broadband Fund for Residents is administered by Innovation PEI on behalf of the Province of Prince Edward Island. There is no administration or application fee charged to applicants.
All applications will be evaluated on the information supplied and assessed on factors including:
- Completeness;
- Broadband improvement and quality of the proposed service;
- Eligibility of the applicant, residential civic address and proposed work; and
- Availability of PEIBF for Residents budget.
Innovation PEI reserves the right to deny a grant application or request for payment if it suspects or detects fraudulent intent.
How do I apply, and what information do I need?
Pre-approval of projects is required prior to incurring costs. To apply for funding from the PEI Broadband Fund for Residents:
- Submit an inquiry to find out if your residential civic address is eligible.
- Wait to receive an electronic reply notification to your inquiry.
- If the reply indicates your residential civic address is eligible, you must submit an application by following the link referenced in the response email.
- Please keep your submission ID number (provided once the application is submitted) for future reference.
The application must be completed in full. When filling in the application, you will need to provide:
- Applicant’s contact information, including residential civic address, email address, and phone number;
- Current internet service provider and service (located on your internet bill), if applicable;
- A quote on letterhead from an internet service provider including:
- Itemization of equipment for the proposed work,
- Breakdown of each cost,
- Total cost of the proposed project, and
- Expected internet service (internet speed).
Any expenses incurred before the submission and approval of an application are NOT eligible.
Once you have submitted your application, Innovation PEI will review your submission for eligibility. Upon conclusion of the review, you will receive an email notification informing you of the review results. Please check your spam often.
How do I make a claim?
If an application is determined to be eligible, an approval email notification will be sent to you and will include instructions on the claim process (to request payment). After you receive an approval email from Innovation PEI, you can complete your internet service improvement project.
When work has been completed (equipment installed and delivering internet service), you may make your claim. You will need:
- To submit an online claim, follow the link provided in your response email notification.
- If you did not pay the invoice, submit the ISP invoice outlining;
- Itemization of equipment used on the project;
- Breakdown of each cost;
- Total cost of project work completed;
- Identification of internet speed upon completion of the installation.
- Speed test of new service (found here: https://www.speedtest.net/); and
- Signature of the resident that the work has been completed.
- If you paid the ISP invoice;
- Submit the ISP Invoice that includes the information outlined above;
- Proof of payment;
- Speed test of the new service (found here: https://www.speedtest.net/);
- Copy of a void cheque for direct deposit to your bank account; and
- Verify eligible project costs have been incurred and paid.
- If you did not pay the invoice, submit the ISP invoice outlining;
*Submit your claim within six months of the Approval Notification date.
When is the deadline for your claim for your project?
Request for payment must be submitted not later than six months after the date of the Approval Notification. If a request for payment is not received by Innovation PEI within six months of the Approval Notification date, the Applicant will be deemed to have declined the Grant and will have no future claim to payment from the Grant.
What are the terms and conditions of the application and funding?
View the full terms and conditions.
Do you have questions?
Contact: myinternet@gov.pe.ca
You can view our frequently asked questions.
Last updated: October 19, 2023