Funding to bring high speed internet to rural households across northeast

High-speed internet for northern rural households The federal and provincial governments will spend $170M to improve high-speed Internet for rural households in northeastern Ontario.

SAULT STE. MARIE — A joint investment by senior levels of government into broadband infrastructure is expected to bring high-speed internet to under-serviced areas of Northeastern Ontario.

The Federal and Provincial Governments are spending up $170 million to connect more than 39-thousand households.

"This plan is key to Ontario's economic recovery and future growth. It's going to create jobs in local communities, invest in our province's future today and for generations to come," says Vic Fedeli, Ontario's Minister of Economic Development.

A pair of city councillors in Sault Ste. Marie, whose constituents are largely made up of rural residents, say limited access to high-speed internet has been a sore spot for those living outside the core.

"People have been emailing me and calling me and just mentioning, especially at the beginning of the pandemic when people were either working from home or having medical appointments at home, that they weren't able to access consistently and reliably," says Ward 5 Councillor Matthew Scott. "So, this announcement is going to make, I think, a lot of people both in Sault Ste. Marie and the region very happy."

Corey Gardi, Scott's Ward 5 council colleague, says he's encouraged by senior levels of government working together to address a long-standing issue.

"It's 2021, we're two decades into this century, and the Internet has been around 30 years or so," says Gardi. "It's about time that rural Ontarians and rural people across the country and those in Sault Ste. Marie have access to the same infrastructure as everybody else."

The Federal and Provincial Governments have set a target of 2025 to have all of Ontario connected to high-speed internet. Officials say projects that are shovel ready will be given priority.