The Ontario government is making a historic investment of nearly $1 billion over six years to improve and expand broadband and cellular access across the province. The $680 million announced yesterday is on top of the $315 million to support Up to Speed: Ontario’s Broadband and Cellular Action Plan. This 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.
“This is great news for rural areas with spotty internet service like Parry Sound-Muskoka,” said MPP Norman Miller. “Our government had always been committed to improving broadband and cellular coverage but the pandemic has shone a light on how many Ontarians don’t have access to these increasingly essential services.”
Details were provided yesterday, ahead of the release of Ontario’s 2020 Budget by Premier Doug Ford, Minister of Finance Rod Phillips, Minister of Infrastructure Laurie Scott, Minister of Infrastructure and President of the Treasury Board Peter Bethlenfalvy at the Haliburton County Public Library in Minden Hills.
“By providing high-speed broadband to unserved and underserved communities like Minden Hills, we will create good jobs, unlock new opportunities for businesses and people, and improve the quality of life for individuals and families,” said Premier Ford. “With the world online these days, if we are going to attract more investment to Ontario and compete in this highly competitive global marketplace, we need every part of our province connected with high-speed Internet.”
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. 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 Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) data.
“This investment will connect even more residents in communities across Ontario to faster, more reliable Internet and cell service,” said Minister Scott. “Today’s commitment to connect more people to reliable broadband and cellular service ― along with many others we’ve made ― will make it easier for more people to work and learn from home, run their businesses and connect with others.”
Building on Ontario’s Action Plan: Responding to COVID-19, the province’s $30 billion response to the pandemic, the government remains committed to making available the necessary resources to protect people’s health, and support people and employers. Ontario will release the 2020 Budget and the next phase of Ontario’s Action Plan at 4 pm today.
Does this mean Ontario is subsidizing Starlink? That’s the future of rural internet.
150 Mbps and 40 ms latency, so far, measured by early users.
Those numbers will improve over time.
Cost? One time $500 US for receiver and router and $99/month.
Search “Starlink” for details.