Federal government details $145 million spending to improve internet access in rural Ontario
May 3, 2022
The money will improve internet access for 23,000 households.
The Government of Canada is working to bring high-speed internet to 98 percent of the population by 2026.
The initiative has led to a barrage of announcements from the federal government benefiting several provinces, including B.C., Newfoundland and Labrador, and Ontario.
Most of the recent announcements focusing on Ontario provide details on the historic $1.2 billion investment the federal government and the Province of Ontario announced in July 2021.
Here’s a breakdown of Ontario’s most recent funding details that benefit rural and First Nations communities:
$63 million for 13,748 households
- Huron Telecommunications received five contracts worth $4.5 million, benefiting 897 households.
- Tuckersmith Communications received one contract worth $10.6 million to improve internet access for 1,191 homes.
- Cogeco Connexion received three contracts totalling $17.6 million to benefit 3,341 homes.
- Vianet Inc. received a contract worth $352,850 to benefit 117 households.
- Bell received a $30.4 million contract for 8,202 homes.
$15 million for 1948 homes
- Mornington Communications received an $11.6 million contract benefiting 1,390 homes.
- Quadro Communications received three contracts totalling $3.8 million to improve internet connection in 558 households.
$51 million for 4,086 households
- Bell received a $49.5 million contract to benefit 3,852 households.
- The government has also allocated $2.3 million to improve access to 234 homes but has not released who will be working on the project.
$16 million for 3,330 households
- Execulink Telecom received a $3.6 million contract to benefit 656 households.
- Ottawa has further allocated $12.4 million to improve access for an additional 2,674 households but has not shared who will receive the contract.
