NICKEL BELT – GREATER SUDBURY – Today, Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Labour, on behalf of the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, along with Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Official Languages and the Honourable Anthony Rota, Member of Parliament for Nipissing-Timiskaming, highlighted nearly $15.5 million in combined federal and provincial funding for two projects to bring high-speed Internet access to 3,659 households in rural Ontario.

Funding details are as follows:

• $12,900,000 for Bell Canada to improve access for 2,459 households in the communities of Astorville, Bonfield, Calvin, East Ferris, Kiosk, Mattawa,and Rutherglen.
• $2,590,000 for Bell Canada to improve access for 1,200 households in the communities of Batchawana Bay, Northland Station, Searchmont, Glendale, Floeyet, Cartier, Ella Lake, Island Lake, and Trout Lake.

This builds upon other positive broadband connectivity announcements in Nickel Belt such as $270,000 for Wahnapitae First Nation and $576,000 for the Municipality of Killarney.

Today’s funding is also a collaboration between Ontario and Canada. On July 29, 2021, the governments announced their partnership to support large-scale, fibre-based projects that will provide high-speed Internet access to more than 280,000 rural and remote households across the province. This historic agreement was made possible by a joint federal-provincial investment totalling more than $1.2 billion.

This investment builds on the Government of Canada’s progress toward ensuring that 98 percent of Canadians have access to high-speed Internet by 2026, and 100 percent by 2030. As we work to rebuild from the COVID-19 pandemic and grow the economy, the federal and provincial governments will continue to make investments in infrastructure to build strong communities and a more competitive and resilient Ontario and Canada for everyone.

Through its broadband initiative, the Canada Infrastructure Bank is collaborating with the Government of Canada and the Province of Ontario to improve the commercial viability of projects.

Quotes

“We need to close the connection gap and ensure that every nook and cranny of Ontario has access to reliable high-speed Internet—whether that’s in Oil Springs or Carlsbad Springs or all the way on the shores of Lake Superior. This investment of nearly $15.5  million in funding to connect 3,659 rural households in the province is a milestone for Ontarians. Investments like these help create jobs, improve access to health care and online learning services, and keep us connected to our loved ones. The Government of Canada will continue to make investments like these to help achieve our national target of connecting 98 percent of Canadians by 2026 and 100 percent by 2030.”– The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development

“The pandemic has shifted much of our lives online and has transformed how we live, work, learn and do business. But, more importantly, rural communities in Ontario are without access to high-speed Internet and are getting left behind. Because of our government’s investments today, more Canadians will have access to high-speed Internet.”– Terry Sheehan, Member of Parliament for Sault Ste. Marie

“This is excellent news for rural Ontario. High-speed Internet access is an essential service that has only been made more vital due to the pandemic. Our government knows that it is urgent and critical to connect rural and remote regions throughout Canada, including the Nickel Belt–Greater Sudbury area.”– Marc G. Serré, Member of Parliament for Nickel Belt and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Official Languages

“This is great news for the residents of Mattawa, Rutherglen, Kiosk, and Bonfield. Broadband Internet is an essential tool for everyday life, and the COVID-19 pandemic has shown more than ever how much everyone needs reliable access to high-speed Internet. The enhanced broadband service that will result from this investment in infrastructure will greatly benefit residents in their day-to-day lives and businesses in their operations.”– The Honourable Anthony Rota, Member of Parliament for Nipissing–Timiskaming

Quick facts

• The projects announced today are a part of a larger announcement made on April 19, 2022 by the Governments of Canada and Ontario announcing projects which will provide joint funding to bring high-speed Internet access to many communities in regions across Ontario.
• Canada’s Connectivity Strategy aims to provide all Canadians with access to Internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download / 10 Mbps upload.
• The Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) is a $2.75 billion investment by the Government of Canada designed to help connect 98 percent of Canadians to high-speed Internet by 2026 and achieve the national target of 100 percent connectivity by 2030. Only the hardest-to-reach households may take until 2030 to get connected.
• On July 29, 2021, a Canada-Ontario broadband partnership was announced. This agreement will bring high-speed Internet access to more than 280,000 households across Ontario with a total investment of more than $1.2 billion, co-funded equally by both levels of government.

Associated links

• Universal Broadband Fund
• Backgrounder: Universal Broadband Fund and Telesat low Earth orbit capacity agreement
• Canada Infrastructure Bank
• High-Speed Access for All: Canada’s Connectivity Strategy
• Ontario Connects: making high-speed Internet accessible in every community

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Media Contact
Kaylie Dudgeon
Special Assistant, Marc G. Serré MP for Nickel Belt
[email protected]
705-507-2416