Governments of Canada and Ontario invest over $11.4 million to bring high-speed Internet access to more than 2,600 Indigenous households in Ontario

Rural community to benefit from increased connectivity to high-speed Internet

SIX NATIONS OF THE GRAND RIVER, ON, March 13, 2024 /CNW/ - All Canadians need access to reliable high-speed Internet, no matter where they live. The governments of Canada and Ontario are taking action to bring high-speed Internet access to underserved communities across Ontario.

Today, the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, together with the Honourable Kinga Surma, Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure, announced over $11.4 million in combined federal and provincial funding for First Nations Cable to bring high-speed Internet access to more than 2,600 Indigenous households in Six Nations of the Grand River.

The project being announced today is part of an existing partnership between Ontario and Canada. On July 29, 2021, the governments announced a Canada–Ontario broadband partnership to support large–scale, fibre-based projects that will provide high-speed Internet access to nearly 280,000 households across the province. This historic agreement was made possible by a joint federal–provincial investment totalling more than $1.2 billion.

Today's announcement builds on the Government of Canada's progress toward ensuring that 98% of Canadians have access to high-speed Internet by 2026, and 100% by 2030. The announcement also brings the Government of Ontario closer to achieving its goal of bringing reliable high-speed Internet access to every community in the province by the end of 2025.

Quotes 

"Internet is no longer a luxury—it's a necessity. Working with First Nations Cable, we will help connect more than 2,600 underserved Indigenous households in Six Nations of the Grand River. Your federal government will continue to work side by side with our partners to achieve our connectivity targets and ensure that every Canadian, no matter where they live, has access to high-speed Internet."
– The Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency

"Today's announcement is another important step toward our government's goal of ensuring every community across the province has access to high-speed Internet by the end of 2025. I am proud to announce that, through our partnerships with the federal government and Internet service providers, we are connecting more than 2,600 underserved Indigenous households in Six Nations of the Grand River. By working together, we are building a stronger Ontario and ensuring that no matter where you live, no community will be left behind."
– The Honourable Kinga Surma, Ontario's Minister of Infrastructure

"This is a great opportunity for the Six Nations of the Grand River community. Given the increased importance of connectivity in our daily lives, I'm thrilled to know our entire community will have the opportunity to access reliable, high-speed Internet via fibre-to-the-home by 2025. I extend my appreciation to the governments of Canada and Ontario for their financial contributions and to everyone who worked so hard to make this happen."
– Chief Sherri-Lyn Hill, Six Nations of the Grand River Elected Council

"We are very proud of our community and we are dedicated to providing high-quality service at a fair and competitive rate. Today, we would like all parties to be recognized as we are now prepared to deliver reliable broadband services to all Six Nations territories, now and in the future."
– Jeffery Thomas, President of First Nations Cable

Quick facts

• 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 is a $3.225 billion investment by the Government of Canada designed to help provide high-speed Internet access to 98% of Canadians by 2026 and achieve the national target of 100% access by 2030.
• Today, 93.5% of Canadian households have access to high-speed Internet, compared to just 79% in 2014.
• The Ontario government is investing nearly $4 billion to bring access to reliable high-speed Internet to every community across the province by the end of 2025. This is the largest single investment in high-speed Internet in any province, by any government in Canadian history.
• As of March 2024, Ontario has finalized agreements totalling more than $2.4 billion for over 200 high–speed Internet and cellular projects to enable access to over 530,000 homes and businesses across the province.
• Ontario launched an interactive online map that shows where provincially funded high-speed Internet projects are planned, are currently under way or have been recently completed in communities across the province. Ontarians can use the map to search by address, community or municipality to learn about projects happening in their area and find out where high-speed Internet service is currently available.
• In 2021, Ontario passed the Supporting Broadband and Infrastructure Expansion Act, 2021 to help speed up construction of high-speed Internet projects. To build upon this legislation, the Ontario government passed the Getting Ontario Connected Act, 2022, which further reduces barriers, duplication and delays.

Associated links

• Rural economic development
• Universal Broadband Fund
• Backgrounder: Universal Broadband Fund and Telesat low Earth orbit capacity agreement
• Canada Infrastructure Bank: Broadband
• High-Speed Access for All: Canada's Connectivity Strategy
• High-Speed Internet Access Dashboard
• National Broadband Internet Service Availability Map
• Ontario connects: making high-speed Internet accessible in every community

Stay connected

Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on social media.
X (Twitter): @ISED_CA, Facebook: Canadian Innovation, Instagram: @cdninnovation and LinkedIn

Follow Ontario's Ministry of Infrastructure on social media.
X (Twitter): @ONinfra, Instagram: @oninfrastructure and LinkedIn: Infrastructure | Infrastructure

SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada