THUNDER BAY — The Ontario government announced Friday it would spend $30 million to help connect five remote Matawa-member First Nation communities to broadband internet.
This cash will bring high speed internet to more than 670 homes and institutions in the communities of Nibinamik, Neskantaga, Eabametoong, Marten Falls and Webequie First Nations. These five communities combined currently have less broadband capacity than a single customer in a typical urban area, reads the press release. They are located north and northeast of Thunder Bay.
"This investment is welcomed by the Matawa First Nations involved in broadband development," said David-Paul Achneepineskum, CEO of Matawa First Nations Management, in the press release. "This investment fulfils the last needed funding to bring high-speed Internet to our remote First Nations using next-generation technology that will dramatically improve their quality of life and serve them for decades to come."
The province did not announce which company would be performing the work, but this project had already been announced more than two years ago by the federal government, as we reported here. It was said then that Rapid Lynx Communications would be doing the work.
The $69.2 million project includes the installation of approximately 800 kilometres of fibre-optic cable from Wunnumin Lake to Aroland First Nations, connecting each of the five remote Matawa-member communities. Construction is anticipated to begin this winter.
The Matawa broadband project is part of the federal Connect to Innovate program and Ontario’s Up to Speed program.
