BRUCE COUNTY – More than 350 residents and businesses in Bruce County are one step closer to fast, reliable Internet service due to the beginning of construction of broadband infrastructure in the community.
Rural areas in the Municipality of South Bruce and east of the community of Lucknow within the Township of Huron-Kinloss, as well as residents in the Village of Formosa, will soon be able to take advantage of this over $2.4 million infrastructure network project, that will deliver reliable Internet access to more homes and businesses.
The Governments of Canada and Ontario each committed over $640,000 to fund this broadband expansion project to help create more economic and educational opportunities in rural, remote and underserved areas of Bruce County.
“I am proud of the progress our government has made, in collaboration with our partners, towards reaching our goal of connecting all Canadian homes and businesses to high-speed Internet,” said Tim Louis, Member of Parliament for Kitchener-Conestoga, on behalf of the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development. “Today’s announcement will bring fast and reliable broadband access to more than 350 homes and businesses in Bruce County, giving them access to essential services that are critical to ensuring the health, safety, and wellbeing of their families. We will continue our work connecting communities to the high-speed Internet they need here in southwestern Ontario, and across Canada.”
“The construction of broadband infrastructure in the Municipality of South-Bruce, the Township of Huron-Kinloss, and the Village of Formosa is underway, and more people in Bruce County now soon have access to fast, reliable Internet service,” said Ernie Hardeman. Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “This is an important step forward in our plan to support better educational opportunities, attract more businesses and create jobs in the county and builds on our government’s commitment to connect every community in Ontario to broadband Internet by 2025.”
“I very much appreciate the importance of high-speed, reliable broadband and I am pleased to see this investment in infrastructure is now happening in both South Bruce, Huron-Kinloss, and Formosa," said Lisa Thompson, MPP for Huron-Bruce. "The past year has only served to reinforce this need for fast and stable connectivity. Families and businesses alike will be happy to hear that construction of the local broadband infrastructure has begun and I look forward to the positive impacts our government’s investment will generate.”
The contracts to expand fibre-optic broadband services in Bruce 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. To date, 3,190 households and businesses in Southwestern Ontario have received access to improved broadband through SWIFT.
“Together with the governments of Ontario and Canada, SWIFT continues to expand broadband service throughout Southwestern Ontario,” said Gary McNamara, SWIFT Board Chair. “With three out of eight awarded SWIFT projects now underway in Bruce County, we are proud to be working with local Internet service providers to bring greater connectivity to many more rural residents living within the Municipality of South Bruce and throughout the Township of Huron-Kinloss.”
Efforts continue to bridge the gaps in broadband access in Southwestern Ontario, as part of a combined public and private sector investment of more than $191 million to bring fast, reliable and affordable Internet to thousands of homes and businesses. This will allow communities to attract new development, strengthen local economies and create more well-paying jobs and opportunities in rural Ontario.
Source : Ontario