The funds, paid to Elon Musk’s low-orbit satellite company over three years, will bring the cost of internet down by $40 a month per household using the SpaceX service, according to executive council spokesperson Cynthia Boissonneault. The $21.6-million payment is part of the government’s “Opération haute vitesse” to bring fast internet to all Quebec households by September 2022. Quebec has already paid $89 million to SpaceX. (Le Journal de Montréal, The Logic)

Talking point: With its $400-million budget, Opération haute vitesse is focused on connecting rural Quebec to the internet, much of which is beyond the reach of fibre-optic cables. Apart from purchasing SpaceX’s equipment for those far-flung households, the province has also pledged to subsidize Starlink’s recurring charges to ensure they pay no more than $100 per month.