Combined federal and provincial funding worth $54 million for Rogers Communications to bring high-speed internet access to more than 20,000 homes in 83 underserved Ontario communities, including the Barrie area, was announced Wednesday.
It’s part of the 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. The joint federal-provincial investment now totals more than $1.2 billion.
Its goal is to ensure that 98 per cent of Canadians have access to high-speed internet by 2026, and 100 per cent by 2030.
Today, 93.5 per cent of Canadian households have access to high-speed internet, compared to 79 per cent in 2014.
“We all know that internet is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity,” said Gudie Hutchings, federal minister of rural economic development. “Today’s announcement is a significant milestone for internet connectivity in rural Ontario.”
“High-speed internet service is essential to the success of everyone, especially those living and working in rural communities in Ontario,” said Helena Jaczek, federal minister of public services and procurement. “The project announced today will help improve access to health-care and online learning services, create jobs in our community and keep people connected to their family, friends and loved ones.”
“Reliable, high-speed internet is critical for Ontario residents to connect with friends and family and access health and education services, and for businesses to grow and serve their customers,” said Robert Dépatie, president and chief operating officer, residential and business, with Rogers.
Wednesday’s commitment is in addition to federal and provincial funding announced last March of more than $48 million to connect 3,800 homes in 31 communities in the Regional Municipality of York to reliable high-speed internet access.
Aside from Barrie, some of the other local communities included in Wednesday's announcement are Alliston, Angus, Anten Mills, Baxter, Beeton, Bond Head, CFB Borden, Coldwater, Colgan, Cookstown, Craighurst, Elmvale, Everett, Glencairn, Hillsdale, Horseshoe Valley, Ivy, Lisle, Loretto, Midhurst, Minesing, Moonstone, parts of Wasaga Beach, Oro Lea Beach, Oro Park, Phelpston, Prices Corner, Shanty Bay, Thornton, Tottenham, Warminster, and Woodland Beach.
