$1.2B announced for Ontario broadband projects
The federal and provincial governments are doubling down on a commitment to bring high-speed internet services to communities across the province.
In late July, they announced an agreement to commit more than $1.2 billion to support large-scale, fibre-based projects that will provide high-speed internet access to nearly 280,000 rural households in communities across the province by 2025.
Details of the projects were announced on August 6, with Eastern Ontario receiving the largest share of the funding at more than $362 million. The money will be used to support projects that deliver service more than 90,000 households in the region.
Other announced funding commitments include:
- $252 million to connect more than 60,000 households in Southwestern Ontario,
- $230 million for projects to connect nearly 53,000 households in Central Ontario,
- $170 million for projects to connect 39,000 households in Northeastern Ontario,
- $148 million for projects to connect 11,000 households in Northwestern Ontario, and
- $73 million for projects to connect 26,000 households in the Golden Horseshoe.
In addition, the Canada Infrastructure Bank is assessing opportunities proposed through the Universal Broadband Fund to provide additional financing on a project-by-project basis toward significant expansion of broadband in partnership with private and institutional investors.
"Broadband is critical infrastructure, and the pandemic has made this more apparent than ever. But too many rural communities still do not have access to high-speed internet,” said Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland. “This investment, in partnership with Ontario and the Canada Infrastructure Bank, will connect nearly 280,000 rural Ontario households to high-speed internet."
The province says the investment will help it realize 40 percent of its plan to achieve 100 percent connectivity for all regions in the province by the end of 2025. The province is also pushing forward with its Ontario Connects initiative—a procurement process that is being led by Infrastructure Ontario to connect the vast majority of the remaining underserved and unserved communities.
This process will enable internet service providers to bid for provincial subsidies through a series of reverse auction events for defined geographic areas, and based upon requirements for high-speed internet infrastructure deployment.
Procurement is expected to begin later this summer.