Elgin County is next up on the plan to provide better broadband high-speed infrastructure to rural businesses and communities with the Canadian and Ontario governments each chipping in over $1.68 million.
By Andrew Joseph, Farms.com; Image by Shafin Al Asad Protic from Pixabay
Over 1,100 homes, farms, and businesses across Elgin County will soon be the beneficiary of high-speed internet access after the governments of Ontario and Canada each invest over $1.68 million to build the increased infrastructure.
In July 2021, the governments of Canada and Ontario announced the plan to bring high-speed Internet to nearly 280,000 rural Ontario households in hundreds of communities across the province through an equal federal-provincial investment totalling more than $1.2 billion. And now it’s Elgin County’s turn.
“Reliable broadband infrastructure is a necessity for Canadian families and businesses in this increasingly connected world,” said Peter Fragiskatos, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of National Revenue and Member of Parliament for London North Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities.
“The start of construction of new fibre technology and additional network infrastructure in Elgin County will be welcome news for households and businesses in the area. It also gets us one step closer to connecting all Canadians to high-speed internet by 2030.”
The plan is to bring all these communities access to high-speed internet by 2025, which will help farms and businesses attract new customers, grow their operations, and create new jobs, while also enabling people to connect online to work, learn and access vital services.
“I know firsthand how important high-speed internet access is for farm families and businesses across Elgin County and rural Ontario,” said Rob Flack, MPP for Elgin – Middlesex - London and the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs Lisa Thompson. “Our community will greatly benefit from the expansion of this high-speed internet project. I’m proud that our government is getting it done and building the critical infrastructure needed to build Ontario and support our residents here in Elgin County.”
In partnership with Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) Inc., the governments of Canada and Ontario are each committing more than $616,000 to support the construction of broadband infrastructure to provide access to high-speed internet service for more than 740 homes, farms and businesses in the communities of Tyrconnell, Duttona Beach, New Glasgow, Port Glasgow, and Churchville, by September of 2022.
In addition, both governments are committing more than $1,070,000 to support the construction of an additional infrastructure network in the county, to provide access to high-speed internet service for 390 homes, farms and businesses in the communities of Iona, Iona Station, Lawrence Station, and Southwold by December of 2022.