OTTAWA — The federal government announced today it is investing more than $6.9 million through its Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) rapid response stream in five new rural broadband projects that will deliver high-speed Internet to more than 3,455 households in the Muskoka and Rideau Lakes regions of Ontario.
The funding announcement was made during a virtual press conference this morning.
UBF money is being provided to Algonquin Fiber for two broadband projects. For the first, Algonquin Fiber is receiving $371,619 for a project in the community of Dwight, which is 100% complete, according to Matthew Young, president of Algonquin Fiber, who spoke during the press conference.
Algonquin Fiber is receiving $683,644 in UBF funding for the second project, benefiting the communities of Dwight and Lumina, which Young said is 60% complete and will be finished in a month or two.
Algonquin Fiber contributed 30% of these projects’ costs, according to Young.
Bell Canada is receiving $267,781 in UBF funds for a broadband project in the community of Athens. No Bell representative attended the press conference, however a Bell spokesperson told Cartt.ca via email the project is already underway and is expected to be completed in the spring.
In a government press release issued today, Bruce Furlong, senior vice-president of access engineering and deployment at Bell Canada, is quoted as saying: “In addition to our own fully funded capital investments, we are proud to invest a further $1,071,124 to partner with the Government of Canada in providing residents in Athens with access to the fastest fibre home Internet speeds available.”
Lakeland Networks is receiving $4 million through the UBF program for a project benefiting the communities of Severn Bridge, Vernon Shores, Melissa, Port Sydney, Golden Beach, Novar, Allensville, Centurion, Utterson, Bracebridge and Ravenscliffe.
Margaret Maw, chief financial officer of Lakeland Holding Ltd., said this project is 80% complete and is expected to be finished in mid-March. The total value of the project is $5.3 million, with 75% of funding coming from the UBF’s rapid response stream and 25% from Lakeland, according to Maw.
Finally, WTC Communications is receiving $1.6 million in UBF money for a project that will benefit communities in the Rideau Lakes area, including Portland, The Bush, Morton, Seeley’s Bay and Delta.
This project was started last summer and is 80% done, according to Mike Lynn, general manager of WTC Communications. Lynn said the rest of the project will be completed by March.
The breakdown of funding for this project was 40% from the UBF, 52% from WTC Communications and 8% from the township of Rideau Lakes, Lynn said.
For more information, please click here.
