SaskTel’s Business Case for Connecting Rural Canadians with Fiber Broadband

At Fiber Connect 2025, Charlene Gavel, CEO of SaskTel, shared why the company is leading the charge to connect all 1.5 million rural and remote residents of Saskatchewan with fiber optic broadband.

Despite being one-tenth the size of Bell, Telus, or Rogers – SaskTel has already deployed over 21,100 miles of fiber across the province. The company has brought high-speed internet to more than 340 communities, many with fewer than 150 homes. Today, 77% of Saskatchewan’s homes and businesses have access to fast, future-ready fiber connectivity. SaskTel’s goal is to reach 90% fiber coverage across the province. For the remaining 10%, the company plans to deliver broadband through a robust fixed wireless network that leverages its existing fiber infrastructure for backhaul.

Gavel’s Light Talk illustrated that business cases for fiber goes beyond profitability and numbers. Today, fiber is fueling economic development, improving public safety, and expanding telehealth access for an aging population. It’s a technology that will improve lives for generations to come. By balancing profitability with social policy, SaskTel is helping to transform life across Saskatchewan and has built a business case that focuses on long-term goals, establishing a future that will benefit all Canadians.

Watch the full talk to learn more about SaskTel’s business case, and why it goes beyond the numbers.