More high speed internet contracts awarded

SOUTH MOUNTAIN – More than 1,000 homes including 170 in the northwest corner of the Municipality of South Dundas will be connected to high speed internet by 2025.nnA joint-announcement by the Federal and Ontario government on June 20 awarded five rural high speed improvement projects in Eastern Ontario totalling $71.7 million. Four of the projects were awarded to Bell Canada, while cable provider Cogeco was awarded the fifth contract.nnHugo Alvarez, press secretary for federal Minister of Rural Economic Development Gudie Hutchings told The Leader that approximately 170 homes in the northwestern corner of South Dundas north of Glen Stewart to Irish Headline Road will be upgraded to have access to high speed internet service.nnIn North Dundas, 966 homes in South Mountain, Mountain, Inkerman and Hallville will be upgraded. Both upgrades will be completed by 2025.nnThe contract to Bell is funded jointly by the federal and provincial governments totalling $15.6 million. Other communities thiscontract covers include Cardinal, Johnstown, and Spencerville. In all, 5,613 homes will have access to high speed through Bell once this contract is completed.nnThis is the fourth high speed upgrade contract awarded for parts of rural South Dundas north of Highway 401 since 2020 when the provincial government began a push to have most of Ontario accessible to some form of high speed internet.nn“We all know that internet is no longer a luxury—it’s a necessity,” said Hutchings. “This investment will provide reliable and affordable high-speed internet access through Bell and Cogeco to more than 22,000 underserved homes in 74 small communities across Carleton and eastern Ontario.”nnOntario Minister of Infrastructure Kinga Surma said the province has been working towards 2025 for high speed internet access across Ontario.nn“By working together with our federal partners, we are increasing access to high-speed internet for communities province-wide,” Surma said. “We are ensuring that no one will be left behind.”nOther projects awarded include:n

A $7.1 million contract with Cogeco to add high speed internet to 1,090 houses in Battersea, Marysville, and Inverary.

A $19.8 million contract with Bell for service to 3,732 homes in Brockville, Athens, Delta, Domville, Prescott, Johnstown, North Augusta, Prescott, and Spencerville.

A $12.2 million contract with Bell to add high speed internet to 5,870 homes in the Gananoque, Napanee, Odessa, Bath, Sydenham, and Harrowsmith areas.