Governments of Canada and Ontario invest over $13 million to bring high-speed Internet access to more than 6,400 homes across Eastern Ontario

Rural communities to benefit from increased connectivity to high-speed Internet

OTTAWA, ON, March 13, 2023 /CNW/ - Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

All Canadians need reliable and affordable high-speed Internet, no matter where they live. The governments of Canada and Ontario are taking action to bring high-speed Internet access to unserved and underserved communities.

Today, Jenna Sudds, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth and Member of Parliament for Kanata?Carleton, on behalf of the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, together with Merrilee Fullerton, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kanata?Carleton, announced over $13 million in federal and provincial funding for Bell Canada to bring high-speed Internet access to more than 6,400 homes in the communities of Arnprior, Braeside, Burnstown, Carp, Constance Bay, Dunrobin, Fitzroy Harbour, Glasgow Station, Kinburn, Marathon Village and White Lake.

The projects being announced today are part of an existing partnership between Ontario and Canada. On July 29, 2021, the governments announced a Canada?Ontario broadband partnership to support large-scale, fibre-based projects that will provide high-speed Internet access to more than 280,000 homes across the province. This historic agreement was made possible by a joint federal-provincial investment totalling more than $1.2 billion.

Today's announcement builds on the Government of Canada's progress toward ensuring that 98% of Canadians have access to high-speed Internet by 2026, and 100% by 2030. The announcement also brings the Government of Ontario closer to achieving its goal of bringing reliable high-speed Internet access to every community by the end of 2025.

Quotes

"We all know that Internet is no longer a luxury in this day and age?it's a necessity. Access to fast, reliable Internet helps rural Canadians by levelling the playing field to access essential services like health care and education, participate in the digital economy, or simply connect with loved ones. Our government will continue to work side by side with our partners to achieve our connectivity targets and ensure every Canadian, no matter where they live, has access to high-speed Internet by 2030."

? The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development

"Access to high-speed Internet will create jobs, improve health and safety for all, and help bridge the rural-urban divide. Our government is working hard to ensure that everyone, no matter where you live, can take part and thrive in a digital world, which is why we are working to connect every community in Ontario to high-speed Internet by the end of 2025."

? Jenna Sudds, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Youth and Member of Parliament for Kanata?Carleton

"Our government recognizes how critical access to high-speed Internet is for Ontarians. That is why we have made it a priority to bring reliable high-speed Internet access to every community by the end of 2025. Through these projects, we are ensuring that people will have access to critical health services and will be able to learn and work online, participate in the agriculture sector and connect with their loved ones."

? The Honourable Kinga Surma, Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure

"Reliable, quality Internet service is essential for business and home-based employees, and it is tremendous that West Carleton will now be able to depend on high-speed Internet. This government investment will expand access to high-speed Internet to over 6,400 homes across 11 communities in Eastern Ontario. It is part of the Ontario government's objective to build a stronger business environment and more resilient communities for families, workers and businesses to grow and prosper in today's digital world."

? Merrilee Fullerton, MD, Member of Provincial Parliament for Kanata?Carleton

"We are proud to partner with the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario to expand our all-fibre broadband network to even more communities in Eastern Ontario. Our fast and reliable Internet connections help people in rural and remote communities stay connected at home and at work. Through our own fully funded investments and through partnerships like this, Bell continues to deliver on our goal of advancing how Canadians connect with each other and the world."

? Bruce Furlong, SVP Network, Bell Canada

Quick facts

• Canada's Connectivity Strategy aims to provide all Canadians with access to Internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download / 10 Mbps upload.
• The Universal Broadband Fund is a $3.225 billion investment by the Government of Canada designed to help provide high-speed Internet access to 98% of Canadians by 2026 and achieve the national target of 100% access by 2030.
• Today, 93.5% of Canadian households have access to high-speed Internet or are targeted to receive access through existing program commitments, compared to just 79% in 2014.
• On July 29, 2021, the governments of Canada and Ontario announced a Canada?Ontario broadband partnership. This agreement will bring high-speed Internet access to more than 280,000 homes across Ontario with a total investment of more than $1.2 billion, co-funded equally by both levels of government.
• The Ontario government is investing nearly $4 billion to bring access to reliable high-speed Internet to every community across the province by the end of 2025. This is the largest single investment in high-speed Internet in any province, by any government in Canadian history.
• As of February 2023, Ontario has finalized agreements totalling more than $2.2 billion for nearly 200 high-speed Internet and cellular projects across the province.
• In 2021, Ontario passed the Supporting Broadband and Infrastructure Expansion Act, 2021 to help speed up construction of high-speed Internet projects. To build upon this legislation, the Ontario government passed the Getting Ontario Connected Act, 2022, which further reduces barriers, duplication and delays.

Associated links 

• Universal Broadband Fund
• Backgrounder: Universal Broadband Fund and Telesat low Earth orbit capacity agreement
• Canada Infrastructure Bank: Broadband
• High-Speed Access for All: Canada's Connectivity Strategy
• High-Speed Internet Access Dashboard
• National Broadband Internet Service Availability Map
• Ontario connects: making high-speed Internet accessible in every community
• Ontario Builds: our infrastructure plan

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SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada