Eight high-speed internet providers to service 266,000 rural homes in Ontario

Ontario government signs off on a $1.25-billion deal to have eight high-speed internet providers service 266,000 rural homes in the province.

By Andrew Joseph, Farms.com; Photo by John Schnobrich on Unsplash

A $1.25-billion agreement is in place after the government of Ontario signed off on the deal to have eight highspeed internet providers provide access to some 266,000 homes and businesses in the province by the conclusion of 2025.

“This competitive process is the first of its kind in Canada and has led to an unprecedented market response and commitment to deliver high-speed internet connections to communities that have been left underserved until now,” stated Michael Lindsay, the President and Chief Executive Officer of Infrastructure Ontario.

Communities gaining the highspeed service include:

• Greater Napanee, Frontenac County, and Addington Highlands--by Bell Canada, which has received $483.8 million in provincial funding;
• Frontenac (again), Frontenac Islands, Kingston, Loyalist, Perth, and Westport—by Xplornet Communications Inc.—$240 million in funding;

Other companies receiving funding are: Rogers Communications Canada Inc.—$171 million, Community Network Partners—$150 million, Cogeco Connexion—$74.3 million, Bragg Communication—$69 million, North Frontenac Telephone Company—$39.5 million, and Eh!tel Networks Inc.—$24.7 million,

“Our government has made access to high-speed internet a priority for rural Ontario, and we’re delivering on that commitment,” Minister Lisa Thompson, of the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). “Access to high-speed internet will help build Ontario and strengthen communities by helping families stay in touch, enabling them to access the supports they need while providing a much-needed boost to the local economy.”