KENORA and SCUGOG, ON – The federal government is forging ahead with its Connecting Canadians program, announcing Thursday that it is helping to bring faster Internet speeds to 17 more communities in Ontario.
Bell Aliant will receive over $2 million to connect nearly 2,500 homes in the District of Kenora, which includes Dryden, Ear Falls, Ignace, Kenora, Lac Seul, Machin, Osnaburgh, Pickle Lake, Rat Portage, Red Lake, Sabaskong Bay, Sioux Lookout, Sioux Narrows-Nestor Falls, The Dalles, Wabaseemoong and Whitefish Bay. The DSL-fibre technology infrastructure project, which will offer Internet services speeds of 15 Mbps, is expected to be completed in part by November 2016 and in full by June 2017.
Further east, the program will provide $1.88 million to local Internet service provider Eccentric Artists Technical Services to connect approximately 820 homes in Scugog to fibre Internet services. The fibre infrastructure project is expected to be completed by November 2016, and will deliver average Internet speeds of 10 Mbps.
"Today's announcement marks the next important phase in our government's plan to bring the benefits of high-speed Internet to communities in rural and remote regions across the country”, said Industry Minister James Moore, in the announcements. “Providing Canadians with access to high-speed Internet for learning, business opportunities and so much more is key to creating a more connected, digital Canada."
Announced last July, Connecting Canadians Digital Canada 150 provide incentives for the private sector to invest in wireless and wireline Internet services in specific areas of the country. Backed by a $305 million commitment, the program aims to connect an additional 280,000 households in rural and remote regions of the country to high-speed Internet services at minimum speeds of 5 Mbps.
