THUNDER BAY, ON – Residents in five Northern Ontario First Nation communities in the Ring of Fire Region north of Thunder Bay will receive improved high-speed Internet access under the Federal Government’s new rural broadband program Connect to Innovate, as previously reported by Cartt.ca.
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains said Friday that Rapid Lynx Telecommunications will receive $37.1 million to install about 880 kilometres of new fibre optic cable to five fly-in communities in Northern Ontario.
The Ontario provincial government will also offer up to $30 million to the Matawa First Nations Management Inc. to bring modern fibre-optic cable to the area. The project will see the installation of buried cable from Wunnumin Lake through the five Matawa-member communities of Nibinamik, Neskantaga, Eabametoong, Marten Falls and Webequie First Nations, connecting south to Aroland First Nation.
The Feds also providing $2.1 million for this project through its First Nation Infrastructure Fund through Indigenous and Northern Affairs Canada, a program that helps advance public infrastructure to improve the quality of life and the environment for First Nation communities.
Photo of Minister Bains Friday in Thunder Bay via Twitter
