The province has announced the allotment of $10.9 million to expand broadband internet service in multiple municipalities and Indigenous communities in northwestern Ontario.
The funding is part of the Up to Speed: Ontario's Broadband and Cellular Action Plan, a $1-billion fund announced as part of Budget 2019, to help bring faster high-speed internet to homes across the province.
Projects being funded by the allotment include:
- building infrastructure that brings high-speed broadband to more areas in Chisholm, Marathon, Terrace Bay, rural Thunder Bay and Oliver Paipoonge;
- constructing a new 22-kilometre fibre backbone network that brings high-speed broadband to Seine River First Nation, Couchiching First Nation, Rainy River First Nations, Ojibways of Onigaming First Nation, Animakee Wa Zhing #37 First Nation and Big Grassy First Nation; and
- upgrading the speed and capacity of the K-Net network, owned by Keewaytinook Okimakanak and which serves more than 80 First Nation communities, while supporting future upgrades.
