Canadians understand the importance of creating successful, sustainable communities and investing in ways to connect with each other in our increasingly digital world.

“Broadband Internet and increased access to mobile services supports economic growth and is key for the long-term prosperity of rural Canadian communities. This project will allow Eastern Ontario rural municipalities to be better connected and ensure that residents have improved access to online services and tools whether at home or on the road.”

The Honourable Bernadette Jordan, Minister of Rural Economic Development

“EORN is building on the investment we’ve already made in broadband infrastructure across the region to close the gap in mobile services and improve economic growth, quality of life and public safety. We welcome and appreciate the support of the federal government for this project. Combined with provincial and municipal funding, we can now proceed with the next steps to make improved connectivity a reality for our region.”

J. Murray Jones, Chair, Eastern Ontario Regional Network 

“The demand for mobile broadband is growing exponentially, but our region is deeply lacking the needed infrastructure to keep up. This project is our top priority because Eastern Ontario’s economic future is at stake. We are so pleased that the federal government is joining with the province and municipal government to make this project a reality.”

Andy Letham, Chair, Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus

• On June 27, 2019, the Government of Canada launched two new strategies: Canada’s Connectivity Strategy, which commits to connect all Canadians to high-speed Internet, and Canada’s first Rural Economic Development Strategy, which will spur economic growth and create good, middle class jobs for rural Canadians across the country.

• The Rural Economic Development Strategy leverages ongoing federal investments and provides a vision for the future, identifying practical steps to take in the short term, and serving as a foundation to guide further work.

• Central to Canada’s Connectivity Strategy are historic new investments that are mobilizing up to $6 billion toward universal connectivity. They include a top-up to the Connect to Innovate Program, a new Universal Broadband Fund, and investments from the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

• The Connectivity Strategy charts a course on how to maximize these investments, how the Government of Canada is leveraging the range of tools at its disposal, and how it will be expanding on its collaboration with the private sector, provinces and territories, municipalities, and Indigenous communities.

• Through the Investing in Canada infrastructure plan, the Government of Canada is investing more than $180 billion over 12 years in public transit projects, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, trade and transportation routes, and Canada’s rural and northern communities.

• $2 billion of this funding is supporting infrastructure projects that meet the unique needs of rural and northern communities like facilities to support food security, local access roads and enhanced broadband connectivity.

Related products

• Backgrounder: Eastern Ontario residents to benefit from improved cellular broadband and connectivity

Associated links

• Investing in Canada Plan Project Map
• Federal infrastructure investments in Ontario
• Investing in Canada: Canada’s Long-Term Infrastructure Plan
• Rural Economic Development Strategy

Emilie Simard
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Rural Economic Development
613-864-7690
emilie.simard3@canada.ca

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Infrastructure Canada
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