Napanee, Ontario, July 12, 2013 – More than 14,000 residents and businesses in eastern Ontario now have improved access to wireless high-speed Internet services now that the Highlands zone of the Eastern Ontario Regional Network is up and running.
The zone covers a 3,800-square-kilometre area that includes the southwestern portions of Renfrew County, northwestern parts of Frontenac County and a portion of Lennox and Addington County.
"High-Speed Internet access enables residents, businesses and institutions to access information, services and opportunities that could otherwise be out of reach. This service launch is truly a significant milestone to be celebrated throughout the region,"
said Daryl Kramp, Member of Parliament for Prince Edward--Hastings, on behalf of the Honourable Denis Lebel, Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs. "Our government is proud to support this project that will spur innovation, encourage economic development and improve the quality of life in Eastern Ontario."
"Our government's investments in rural broadband networks are strengthening rural communities in eastern Ontario,"
said Grant Crack, Parliamentary Assistant to the Ontario Minister of Rural Affairs, to the Minister of Agriculture and Food, and to the Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs. "Providing our rural communities with access to modern, high-speed Internet services is helping them attract investment, jobs and growth."
"Our goal is to provide higher speeds and bandwidth to at least 95 per cent of homes in Eastern Ontario,"
said Rick Phillips, Chair of the Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucus (EOWC). "This new network brings us closer to realizing that goal and to supporting economic growth by connecting Eastern Ontario to the world."
"We are pleased to launch service to the Highlands zone, a beautiful area that includes some difficult terrain and is very sparsely populated,"
said David Burton, Chair of the Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN). "It demonstrates how the project is overcoming these challenges to expand broadband access."
"Today's launch of high-speed Internet in the Highlands Zone is the culmination of a joint effort by Bell Aliant, EOWC and our government partners,"
said John Swantee, Bell Aliant Director Network Strategy. "We look forward to serving the residents of communities in the Highland zone with new and improved broadband services."
Once the entire Eastern Ontario Regional Network is completed, it will improve high-speed access throughout the nearly 50,000 square kilometres of eastern Ontario, a region encompassing the counties of Hastings, Peterborough, Renfrew, Northumberland, Haliburton, Frontenac, Lanark, Prince Edward, Lennox and Addington, the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry, the United Counties of Prescott and Russell, the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, as well as the City of Kawartha Lakes.
The governments of Canada and Ontario have each committed up to one third of total eligible costs of the Eastern Ontario Regional Network, to a maximum contribution of $55 million each. EOWC Inc. is contributing $10 million and private sector partners are providing the remaining funding.
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.
Canada's Economic Action Plan 2013 is delivering a New Building Canada Plan to build roads, bridges, subways, commuter rail, and other public infrastructure in cooperation with provinces, territories, and municipalities. Thanks to the Government of Canada's leadership and our strong economic and financial fundamentals, the Canadian economy has recovered from the global recession better than most other industrialized countries. Canada has been a leader among G-7 countries throughout the recovery with more than 1 million net new jobs created since July 2009. The New Building Canada Plan, combined with other federal infrastructure investments, will support Canada's infrastructure advantage, a key enabler of economic growth and job creation.
This project also supports Building Together, the Government of Ontario's long-term plan to build, repair and renew infrastructure across the province. Ontario has invested approximately $85 billion in infrastructure since 2003, which has created and preserved an average of nearly 100,000 jobs each year, making the province's economy more productive and improving the quality of life for the people of Ontario, now and in the future.
For additional information about Canada's investments in infrastructure and to stay up-to-date with Web feeds, visit Infrastructure Canada.
For ongoing information about progress in rural Ontario, please visit the Ontario Ministry of Rural Affairs.
Marie-Josée Paquette (disponible en français)
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities, Minister of the Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
613-991-0700
Bryan Bossin
Press Secretary
Office of the Ontario Minister of Rural Affairs
416-326-3066
Lisa Severson
Eastern Ontario Regional Network
613-213-8520
Norma Hughes
Bell Aliant
1-877-647-3443
Infrastructure Canada
613-960-9251 or toll-free: 1-877-250-7154
