TORONTO — The Ontario government last week said it would boost its spending to improve broadband and wireless access in the province to nearly $1 billion over six years.
The $680 million announced last week is on top of the $315 million already announced. The new funding “will be used for shovel-ready projects starting in 2019-20, will create jobs, and connect unserved and underserved communities during Covid-19 and beyond,” says the press release.
The investment announced today doubles funding for the Improving Connectivity in Ontario (ICON) program, bringing the new total to $300 million. This program now has the potential to leverage more than $900 million in total partner funding to improve connectivity in areas of need across Ontario, says the government. As part of Ontario’s broadband and cellular action plan, ICON is one of several provincial initiatives underway to improve connectivity across Northern, Eastern and Southwestern Ontario.
“Over 1.4 million people in Ontario do not have broadband or cellular access, and as many as 12 per cent of households in Ontario, mostly in rural, remote or Northern areas, are underserved or unserved from the perspective of broadband, according to CRTC data,” says the announcement.
No new funding application details were announced. For more, please click here.
