New Building Canada Fund’s small communities fund used to improve Internet connections

From BRIEFS | THE WIRE REPORT PUBLISHED: MONDAY, 01/23/2017

Two rural Ontario areas receive $2.53M to improve connectivity

The federal and Ontario governments are making available $2.53 million in funding to improve Internet service in two areas of the province, the federal government announced in a press release Monday.

“In King Township, the project will expand the fibre optic broadband network to rural residents. In Huron County, the project will provide high-speed broadband service to 929 homes, dozens of small businesses and a school,” the press release said.

The funding will be provided through the New Building Canada Fund’s small communities fund, a joint federal-provincial initiative for communities with populations of fewer than 100,000.

Both governments will contribute $825,000 each towards the King Township project, with Vianet Internet Solutions contributing the remainder of the project costs.

Meanwhile, the Huron Co-operatives Rural Broadband Improvement project will receive $444,115 from each level of government and Comcentric Networking Inc. will fill in the rest of the project costs.