Canada and Ontario Increasing Access to High-Speed Internet Service in Lambton County

Jan 06, 2023

LAMBTON COUNTY – The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing more than $2.3 million to bring fast, reliable high-speed internet to more than 2,000 families, farms and businesses in Lambton County.

“Providing reliable internet access is especially important for rural communities to prosper in our increasingly digital world,” said Irek Kusmierczyk, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion and Member of Parliament for Windsor—Tecumseh, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities. “Today’s announcement will ensure that thousands of homes, businesses, and farms in Lambton County can connect to essential online services and enjoy the additional economic opportunities made available through high-speed internet.”

In partnership with Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) Inc, the completion of construction of broadband infrastructure in the county is now providing access to fast, reliable high-speed internet service to families, farms and businesses in the communities of Baby Point, Port Lambton, Sombra, Wilkesport, Avonry, Mooretown and Brigden.

“Our government continues to deliver on our commitment to expand access to high-speed internet in rural communities across the province,” said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “Building new broadband infrastructure in Lambton County is helping to build rural Ontario and strengthen communities by helping people stay connected with loved ones and enable them to access supports they need. This critical infrastructure will have lasting benefits for our entire community.”

“With more reasons to go online than ever before, the need for fast, reliable broadband service in rural Lambton County is critical,” said Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey. “The completion of this project is great news for the over 2,000 families who can now take advantage of modern, reliable internet service in their homes and at their businesses.”

The contracts to expand broadband services in Lambton County were awarded by Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) Inc, a not-for-profit corporation initiated by local municipalities to address connectivity in Southwestern Ontario.

“With the support of the federal and provincial governments, SWIFT is making strong progress in the expansion of broadband infrastructure across Southwestern Ontario,” said Gary McNamara, SWIFT Board Chair. “Today’s announcement builds on our program’s commitment to drive greater connectivity throughout the region as we are pleased to mark construction complete on a high-speed fibre-optic network in Lambton County that will provide more than 2,000 additional homes and businesses with access to high-speed internet connectivity.”

More than $255 million has been invested by the governments of Canada and Ontario and the private sector to bring high-speed internet to more than 63,000 households and businesses in Southwestern Ontario through SWIFT by the end of 2025.

Source : News Ontario

Video: From Conventional to Regenerative: Will Groeneveld’s Journey Back to the Land

"You realize you've got a pretty finite number of years to do this. If you ever want to try something new, you better do it."

That mindset helped Will Groeneveld take a bold turn on his Alberta grain farm. A lifelong farmer, Will had never heard of regenerative agriculture until 2018, when he attended a seminar by Kevin Elmy that shifted his worldview. What began as curiosity quickly turned into a deep exploration of how biology—not just chemistry—shapes the health of our soils, crops and ecosystems.

In this video, Will candidly reflects on his family’s farming history, how the operation evolved from a traditional mixed farm to grain-only, and how the desire to improve the land pushed him to invite livestock back into the rotation—without owning a single cow.

Today, through creative partnerships and a commitment to the five principles of regenerative agriculture, Will is reintroducing diversity, building soil health and extending living roots in the ground for as much of the year as possible. Whether it’s through intercropping, zero tillage (which he’s practiced since the 1980s) or managing forage for visiting cattle, Will’s approach is a testament to continuous learning and a willingness to challenge old norms.

Will is a participant in the Regenerative Agriculture Lab (RAL), a social innovation process bringing together producers, researchers, retailers and others to co-create a resilient regenerative agriculture system in Alberta. His story highlights both the potential and humility required to farm with nature, not against it.