" $ 5 6 " - * 5 4 r / & 8 4 $362 MILLION TO FUND RURAL INTERNET IN EASTERN ONTARIO
CHRISTOPHER SMITH christopher.smith@eap.on.ca
Rural communities have long been underserved when it comes to high- speed internet, but that will change with more than $300 million in confirmed federal-provincial funding aid for the Eastern Ontario region. «Access to high-speed internet will create jobs, improve health and safety for all, and help bridge the rural-urban divide,” stated Maryam Monsef, minister for women and gender equality and rural economic deve- lopment. “The pandemic added urgency to this work, and the Government of Canada responded with the Universal Broadband Fund.” An investment of $362 million was announced during a visit to Russell Township on August 6, brought forward jointly by the governments of Canada and Ontario as part of the Improving Connectivity for Ontario *$0/ QSPHSBN UPCSJOHIJHITQFFEJOUFSOFU UP IPVTFIPMETJO&BTUFSO0OUBSJP The announcement was made by Monsef, Kinga Surma, Ontario’s infrastructure minis- ter, Glengarry-Prescott-Russell MP François Drouin, Stormont-Dundas-South Glengarry MPP Jim McDonnell, Russell Township Mayor Pierre Leroux, and Deputy-Mayor Michel Levert for the City of Clarence-Rockland. “The COVID-19 pandemic has shown us that Internet access is essential for our communities and for our sustainable economic recovery,” stated Drouin. “Today
Le maire du canton de Russell, Pierre Leroux, le maire adjoint de la Cité de Clarence-Rockland, Michel Levert, la ministre MaryamMonsef, le député provincial de Stormont-Dundas-Glengarry Sud, JimMcDonell, et le député fédéral de Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, François Drouin, se sont réunis à l'extérieur de la bibliothèque de Russell pour l'annonce de la confirmation du financement fédéral-provincial de projets d'Internet en milieu rural dans l'Est de l'Ontario. - photo fournie
between the province of Ontario and the government of Canada to support large- scale, fibre-based projects that will deliver high-speed Internet access to the entire province by 2025. More than 890,000 rural and remote households are on track to be
connected by then thanks to nearly $1 billion that is to be equally invested by the province and Canada over the next six years. The Canada Infrastructure Bank is also assessing private sector partnership oppor- tunities to expand broadband coverage.
we are announcing that more than 90,000 homes will be connected. This is the result of many years of work with our partners, and UPEBZ UIFSFTJEFOUTPG&BTUFSO0OUBSJPBSF reaping the benefits.” 5IF *$0/ QSPHSBN JT BO BHSFFNFOU
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