A total of $219 million has been earmarked by the federal and Ontario governments to facilitate the expansion of high-speed Internet to 66,000 households.

The Canadian and Ontario governments are allocating a substantial sum of over $219 million to extend high-speed Internet connectivity to in excess of 66,000 households located within 300+ communities across southern Ontario.

Universal access to dependable high-speed Internet is an imperative for all Canadians, irrespective of their geographical location. The collaborative efforts of the Canadian and Ontario governments are actively addressing this need by extending high-speed Internet connectivity to communities in Ontario that have been lacking or underserved.

Today, the Honourable Anita Anand, who holds the position of President of the Treasury Board, along with the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister overseeing the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, representing the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister responsible for Rural Economic Development and oversight of the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, joined hands with the Honourable Kinga Surma, Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure, and Donna Skelly, the Provincial Parliament Member for Flamborough–Glanbrook. Their collective announcement involves a substantial financial commitment of over $219 million from federal and provincial sources, earmarked for Rogers. This investment aims to provide high-speed Internet access to a significant number of households, exceeding 66,000 in count, scattered across more than 300 communities in Ontario. It’s noteworthy that this initiative will also include over 600 households belonging to Indigenous communities.

The initiatives unveiled today form a continuation of the ongoing collaboration between the Ontario and Canadian governments. On July 29, 2021, these governments revealed their joint commitment through the Canada–Ontario broadband partnership. This strategic partnership is dedicated to facilitating expansive, fiber-optic-driven undertakings that will furnish high-speed Internet connectivity to over 280,000 households spanning the province. An unprecedented milestone, this remarkable accord was made feasible by a combined federal-provincial investment that surpasses $1.2 billion.

This current announcement further extends the strides made by the Government of Canada in its mission to ensure that 98% of the Canadian population can access high-speed Internet by 2026, a figure set to reach 100% by 2030. Concurrently, this announcement brings the Government of Ontario closer to attaining its objective of delivering dependable high-speed Internet access to every community within the province by the culmination of 2025.

“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 66,000 underserved households in over 300 rural communities in Ontario, including over 600 Indigenous households. 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.”

-The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.