Construction Completed on the Embrun Zone of Eastern Ontario's Regional Broadband Network
Embrun, Ontario, December 16, 2011 – More than 8,000 residents and businesses in the United Counties of Prescott & Russell now have access to wireless high-speed Internet.
Pierre Lemieux, Member of Parliament for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, and Grant Crack, Parliamentary Assistant to the Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs, and Member of Provincial Parliament for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, today joined representatives from the Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucus (EOWC) Incorporated and the United Counties of Prescott and Russell to celebrate this significant milestone.
The Embrun Zone is the first of 15 areas to receive high-speed Internet access through the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) – Ontario's largest rural broadband network project. Once completed, the network will provide broadband service to residents and businesses in many of the counties of Eastern Ontario, including Hastings, Peterborough, Renfrew, Northumberland, Haliburton, Frontenac, Lanark, Prince Edward, Lennox & Addington, the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry, the United Counties of Prescott & Russell, the United Counties of Leeds & Grenville, as well as the City of Kawartha Lakes. Xplornet Communications Inc. has activated thirteen 4G fixed-wireless towers and special service packages that offer speeds of up to 10 Mbps to residents and businesses. The high-speed coverage zone spans the area between Devine and Indian Creek roads to the north, Concession Road 10 and 11 to the south, and from Yorks Corners Road to the west and Country Road 8 to the east.
The wireless access points connect to EORN's 5,500 kilometre fibre-optic network, which is being built by Bell Aliant and Bell.
“Access to modern, high-speed internet service is a vital asset for businesses and people living in rural regions of Canada,“ said Pierre Lemieux, Member of Parliament for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. “Our Government is committed to expanding Canada's broadband network, which is helping to create jobs and economic growth here in Eastern Ontario, and connecting families and friends in communities across the country.”
“Our government is investing in projects that strengthen the economy and create jobs for Ontario families. This rural broadband network puts rural businesses on a level playing field with urban businesses and opens up new opportunities for communication with customers and business partners,”
said Ted McMeekin, Ontario Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.
“Today's launch is an important step toward our goal of providing higher speeds and bandwidth to at least 95 per cent of homes in Eastern Ontario,”
said J. Murray Jones, Chair of the EOWC. “Broadband access will improve the quality of life for our residents and help businesses thrive.”
“We are excited to launch high-speed Internet access in the Embrun Zone a full five months ahead of schedule and we're looking forward to completing work on the remaining 14 EORN Zones,”
said Dave Burton, Chair of the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN).
“After completion of this project, Prescott and Russell will be one of the best covered rural regions in Ontario. We are proud to deliver this service to our taxpayers,”
said United Counties of Prescott & Russell Warden, Jean-Yves Lalonde.
“Xplornet is pleased to have contributed to this important project in partnership with the Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucus. This deployment, which finished five months ahead of schedule, is groundbreaking since Embrun is the first area in Canada with access to our 10 Mbps package. This robust 4G service is faster than any other fixed, residential high-speed Internet service in rural Canada, and will be a great complement to the 4G satellite services that will be launched across the region early next year,”
said John Maduri, Chief Executive Officer at Xplornet Communications Inc.
The Eastern Ontario Regional Network project is a $170 million initiative supported through substantial investment from federal, provincial and local governments, along with private sector contributions. The governments of Canada and Ontario have each committed up to one-third of total eligible costs of the project, to a maximum contribution of $55 million each. EOWC Inc. and private sector partners are providing the remaining funding, with EOWC Inc. contributing up to $10 million. Xplornet Communications Inc. has contributed $750,000 towards the construction of the network in the Embrun zone. Bell and Bell Aliant have contributed $23 million towards the fibre backhaul network.
Funding from the Government of Canada is being provided through the Building Canada Fund – Major Infrastructure Component, which targets larger, strategic projects of national or regional significance.
Contacts:
Pierre Floréa
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities
613-991-0700
Mark Cripps
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs
416-326-3069
Lisa Severson
Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucus Inc.
613-213-8520
Stéphane Parisien
Chief Administrative Officer, United Counties of Prescott & Russell
(613) 675-4661
Jeff Hecker
Director, Marketing Communications and Public Relations
Xplornet Communications Inc.
(905) 944-7969
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251
Toll-Free 1-877-250-7154
