Governments of Canada and Ontario invest over $4 million to bring high-speed Internet access to more than 400 homes

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

WELLESLEY, ON, June 27, 2023 /CNW/ - All Canadians need reliable and affordable 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 Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, and Tim Louis, Member of Parliament for Kitchener–Conestoga, together with Amarjot Sandhu, Parliamentary Assistant to Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure, announced over $4 million in combined federal and provincial funding for Mornington Communications to bring high-speed Internet access to more than 400 homes in the communities of Crosshill, Dorking, Hawkesville, Heidelberg, Linwood, Millbank, St. Clements and Wellesley.

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. That's why our government made a historic commitment to connect 98% of Canadians to high-speed Internet by 2026. Today's announcement in Wellesley marks a significant milestone for Internet connectivity in rural Ontario. This investment will provide reliable high-speed Internet access through Mornington Communications to more than 400 underserved homes in 8 rural and remote communities in Ontario."
– The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development

"High-speed Internet service is essential to the success of everyone living and working in rural communities across Ontario. Today's investment will help create jobs; improve access to health care and online learning services; and keep people connected to their family, friends and loved ones. Our government is working hard to ensure that everyone, no matter where they live, can take part and thrive in a digital world."
– Tim Louis, Member of Parliament for Kitchener–Conestoga

"Today's announcement is another important step in ensuring we bring reliable high-speed Internet access to every community across the province by the end of 2025. Our government has made this a priority and continues to make considerable progress in achieving it."
– The Honourable Kinga Surma, Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure

"From Wellesley to Dorking, our government's commitment of nearly $4 billion to improve access to high-speed Internet in every community across this province is building a stronger Ontario. The progress we are making is providing more families and businesses with the tools they need to succeed in today's digital world."
– Amarjot Sandhu, Parliamentary Assistant to Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure

"Mornington is thrilled to work in partnership with the Government of Canada to bring true high-speed Internet services to more of Wellesley Township. One of Mornington's core principles is to connect the underserved, which aligns perfectly with the Universal Broadband Fund. We're eager to break ground and start construction!"
– Kenneth Naylor, General Manager, Mornington Communications Co-operative Limited

Quick facts

• 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 June 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 and 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

• 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

Stay connected

Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on social media.
Twitter: @ISED_CA, Facebook: Canadian Innovation, Instagram: @cdninnovation and LinkedIn

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

SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada

Contacts: 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]