Madam Speaker, I am delighted to respond to the member for Battlefords—Lloydminster about the need for Canadians in rural communities to have access to reliable and affordable telecommunications services.
Our government recognizes the vital importance of broadband and mobile services so all Canadians can fully participate in digital economy. The COVID-19 pandemic has reinforced how critical these services are to our economy and society. As a member representing a large rural riding myself, I understand first-hand the importance of getting all Canadians connected.
The federal government has made billions of dollars available to support connectivity and to connect rural communities from coast to coast to coast. Under the connect to innovate program, we are investing over $585 million to improve high-speed Internet. This program has been successful thanks to collaboration with the private sector, provinces and territories. Our partners have provided significant funding, with investments totalling more than $1.2 billion.
Connect to innovate is delivering real results, making a real impact across the country. This program will bring improved Internet connectivity to over 975 communities, 190 of which are indigenous communities. This will improve access for approximately 250,000 households by the end of 2021 and will connect another 400,000 households in total.
In addition to these households, the program will benefit anchor institutions, such as schools, libraries and medical facilities all across the country. Students will have access to online resources. Workers will be able to do their jobs remotely and access online training. Entrepreneurs will be able to execute their ideas and reach global markets.
We are also leveraging other sources to improve connectivity, such as Infrastructure Canada programs. In March 2019, we announced $33 million in Prince Edward Island to connect 30,000 homes. In July 2019, we partnered with New Brunswick to invest $40 million in a fibre and fixed wireless project, which will benefit 83,000 rural households. In July of 2020, we partnered with British Columbia to invest $1 million in two fibre projects to improve access in east and central Kootenay.
Canada's telecommunications regulator, the Canadian Radio Television and Telecommunications Commission, the CRTC, is also taking action to expand Internet and cell access through its $750 million fund, which is sourced from an industry level. In August, the CRTC announced the first five projects under its fund to improve Internet access in northern and remote communities. These projects will connect over 10,000 households in 51 communities. The significant majority of these communities are indigenous. The CRTC will make further announcements for the rest of the country in the months ahead.
Building on these efforts in budget 2019, our government announced historic investments of $1.7 billion in broadband. It is our country's single-largest investment to advance our goals. Our actions are guided by our 2019 connectivity strategy, which is a road map for achieving universal access all across Canada.
As indicated in the recent 2020 Speech from the Throne, our government will accelerate the connectivity timelines and the ambitions of the universal broadband fund to ensure that all Canadians have access to high-speed Internet. We have been engaging with stakeholders to ensure the fund responds to rural needs and look forward to a program launch very shortly.
We will also take advantage of other measures to promote rural access. This includes investments in low-earth orbit satellites to ensure even the most challenging northern and remote areas—