(AGENPARL) – ven 21 aprile 2023 [Ontario Logo]
NEWS RELEASE
Canada and Ontario Increasing Access to High-Speed Internet Service in Niagara Region
Rural Ontarians benefitting from expanded broadband access
April 21, 2023
NIAGARA REGION – The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing more than $1.6 million to bring reliable high-speed internet to 677 families, farms and businesses in Niagara Region.
“Providing reliable internet access is especially important for rural communities to prosper in our increasingly digital world,” said Vance Badawey, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services and Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities. “Today’s announcement will ensure that homes, businesses, and farms in the Niagara Region can connect to essential online services and enjoy the additional economic opportunities made available through high-speed internet.”
“Access to a high-speed internet connection is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity” said Chris Bittle, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Member of Parliament for St. Catharines. “By investing in projects like this, our government is supporting rural Ontarians to connect with family, keep up at school, run a business and access essential medical services. It is more important than ever for Canadians to have access to high-speed internet and our government is committed to building the infrastructure they need to be connected.”
The federal and provincial governments have partnered with Southwest Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) Inc. and are proud to announce that residents in the communities of Chantler, Becketts Bridge and O’Reilly’s Bridge, now have broadband infrastructure in place to enable access to high-speed internet service.
“Our government continues to deliver on its commitment to expand access to high-speed internet to communities across the province,” said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “By building new broadband infrastructure in Niagara Region, we’re helping to build Ontario and strengthen rural communities. This investment is helping people stay in touch with loved ones, enabling them to access the supports they need while providing a much-needed boost to the local economy.”
This announcement marks the completion of another project under SWIFT and builds on the Ontario government’s plan to get the right infrastructure in the right places, ensuring people can live, work and farm where they want.
“We know reliable internet access is a gateway to growth in rural Ontario,” said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West. “This new expansion of rural broadband in the Town of Pelham will connect more families and businesses to high-speed internet. I know constituents in Niagara West will gladly welcome this new SWIFT project.”
The contracts to expand broadband services in Niagara Region were awarded by SWIFT, a not-for-profit corporation, initiated by local municipalities to address connectivity in Southwestern Ontario.
“We are pleased to mark the successful completion of a 68-kilometre high-speed fibre-to-the-home project in the Niagara Region and are grateful for the ongoing support of the Governments of Ontario and Canada and our community partners as we continue to work together to expand high-speed internet service throughout the Region and across Southwestern Ontario,” said Gary McNamara, SWIFT Board Chair. “With the newly established fibre-optic network now in service, many more rural homes and businesses throughout the Town of Pelham and within the Township of Wainfleet can now benefit from having access to a fast and reliable internet connection.”
More than $255 million has been invested by the governments of Canada and Ontario and the private sector to bring high-speed internet access to more than 63,000 homes and businesses in Southwestern Ontario through SWIFT by the end of 2023.
Quick Facts
– The governments of Canada and Ontario are each contributing more than $63 million to SWIFT through the New Building Canada Fund’s Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component – Small Communities Fund.
– The Ontario government is investing nearly $4 billion to bring high-speed internet access to every corner of the province by the end of 2025. This is the largest single investment in high-speed internet in Canadian history.
Additional Resources
Media Contacts
Jack Sullivan
Minister’s Office
Connie Osborne
Communications Branch
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