Governments of Canada and Ontario invest $54 million to bring high-speed Internet access to more than 20,000 homes

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

STOUFFVILLE, ON, July 12, 2023 /CNW/ - All Canadians need reliable high-speed Internet, no matter where they live. That is why the governments of Canada and Ontario are taking action to bring high-speed Internet access to underserved communities across Ontario.

Today, the Honourable Helena Jaczek, Minister of Public Services and Procurement, on behalf of the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, together with Paul Calandra, Member of Provincial Parliament for Markham–Stouffville, on behalf of the Honourable Kinga Surma, Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure, announced $54 million in combined federal and provincial funding for Rogers Communications to bring high-speed Internet access to more than 20,000 homes in 83 underserved communities in Ontario.

The project being announced today is 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—it's a necessity. Today's announcement is a significant milestone for Internet connectivity in rural Ontario. Working with Rogers, we will help connect more than 20,000 underserved homes in 83 rural and remote communities in Ontario. Our government will continue to work side by side with our partners to achieve our connectivity targets and ensure that every Canadian, no matter where they live, has access to high-speed Internet by 2030."
– The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development

"High-speed Internet service is essential to the success of everyone, especially those living and working in rural communities in Ontario. 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. Our government will continue to make investments like these to help connect every Ontarian to the high-speed Internet they need."
– The Honourable Helena Jaczek, Minister of Public Services and Procurement

"The Ontario government is ensuring every community across the province has access to reliable high-speed Internet by the end of 2025. By working together with our federal partners and Internet service providers, we are increasing access to high-speed Internet and building a stronger foundation for Ontario's economic growth and prosperity."
– The Honourable Kinga Surma, Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure

"Our government is building a stronger Ontario through an investment of nearly $4 billion to bring reliable high-speed Internet access to every community across this province. The progress we are making is providing more families and businesses with the tools they need to succeed in today's digital world."
– Paul Calandra, Member of Provincial Parliament for Markham–Stouffville

"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. We are proud to work alongside the Government of Canada to address connectivity gaps and bring high-speed fibre Internet to more than 20,000 homes and businesses in Ontario."
– Robert Dépatie, President and Chief Operating Officer, Residential and Business, Rogers Communications

Quick facts

• This commitment is in addition to federal and provincial funding announced in March 2023 of over $48 million to connect over 3,800 homes in 31 communities in the Regional Municipality of York to reliable high-speed Internet access.
• 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, compared to just 79% in 2014.
• 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 July 2023, Ontario has finalized agreements totalling more than $2.3 billion for nearly 200 high-speed Internet and cellular projects across the province.
• Ontario launched a new interactive online map that shows where provincially funded high-speed Internet projects are planned, are currently under way or have been recently completed in communities across the province. Ontarians can use the map to search by address, community or municipality to learn about projects happening in their area and find out where high-speed Internet service is currently available.
• 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

• Rural Economic Development
• 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

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Follow Ontario's Ministry of Infrastructure on social media.
Twitter: @ONinfra, Instagram: @oninfrastructure and LinkedIn: Infrastructure | Infrastructure

SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Government of Canada: Hugo Alvarez, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Rural Economic Development, 343-551-7846, [email protected]; Media Relations, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada, [email protected]; Government of Ontario: Andrea Chiappetta, Press Secretary, Office of the Minister of Infrastructure, [email protected]; Sofia Sousa-Dias, Communications Branch, Ministry of Infrastructure, [email protected]