Telesat Applauds Government of Ontario Support of Telesat’s LEO Satellite Constellation in Budget 2018

March 29, 2018

Telesat Canada (Telesat) welcomes the Government of Ontario’s Budget 2018 commitment to support an investment of up to $20 million towards Telesat’s Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellation, now in development. The Budget 2018 commitment is a key component of Ontario’s goal of providing high performing broadband communications to rural communities throughout the province.

Telesat is developing a global LEO constellation that will revolutionize broadband communications services. Telesat’s LEO constellation will deliver high performing, cost-effective, fiber-like broadband connectivity anywhere in the world – including all of Ontario’s urban, rural, remote and northern communities – for business, government, and individual users. The initial constellation will consist of approximately 120 satellites by 2021 and Telesat is evaluating options to expand its system beyond this initial configuration. Telesat successfully launched its first LEO satellite earlier this year and will soon be conducting trials with a number of customers around the world to validate certain key features of its constellation.

“The provincial government’s support of Telesat’s LEO satellite technology in its 2018 Budget is an important step to help solve the rural broadband challenge in Ontario,” said Dan Goldberg, Telesat’s President and CEO. “We look forward to working with the Government of Ontario to ensure the delivery of 24x7, secure, high-speed broadband services essential to the well being of Ontarians. Telesat’s innovative LEO constellation will enable meaningful civic engagement, inclusive growth, economic development, and access to government and public services – regardless of where people live and work in the province.”