Funding will add more than 760 homes, farms and businesses to high-speed internet access.
By Andrew Joseph, Farms.com;
On March 25, 2022, OMAFRA (Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs) announced that the Niagara Region would soon gain better broadband internet access, uniting 760 farms, homes and businesses.
The plan is for every community in Ontario and Canada to have high-speed internet access by 2025, with the provincial and federal government each earmarking up to $923,000 for the area.
Expected to be completed by December of 2022, the $3.3 million project will connect the communities of: Abingdon, Allen's Corners, Caistor Centre, Caistorville (see image above), Fulton, Grassie, Grimsby Centre, and Kimbo.
It is expected that having the high-speed broadband internet access will enable farms and businesses to attract new customers, grow their operations and create new jobs while also helping people connect online to work, learn and access economic and social opportunities.
“Access to a high-speed internet connection is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity” said Vance Badawey, Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities. “By investing in projects like this, our government is supporting rural Ontarians to connect with family, keep up at school, run a business and access essential medical services. It is more important than ever for Canadians to have access to high-speed internet and our government is committed to building the infrastructure they need to be connected.”
Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs said, “Our government has made access to high-speed internet a priority for rural Ontario, and we’re delivering on that commitment.”
She continued: “New connections like the ones announced today, 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. It’s this type of critical infrastructure that will benefit the entire community.”
The deal including the $1.84 million investment from the federal and provincial governments, to expand broadband services was contracted to Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) Inc., a not-for-profit corporation, initiated by local municipalities to address connectivity in Southwestern Ontario.
"We know reliable Internet access is a gateway to growth in rural Ontario," said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West. "This new expansion of rural broadband in Niagara will connect more families and businesses to high-speed Internet. I know constituents in Niagara West will gladly welcome this new SWIFT project."
More than $255 million has been invested by the governments of Canada and Ontario and the private sector, to bring high-speed internet to more than 58,000 households and businesses in Southwestern Ontario via SWIFT.