The governments of Canada and Ontario announced more than $2.53 million in federal and provincial funding for two projects to provide Internet service to rural areas in King Township and surrounding subdivisions, and in Huron County.
The government of Canada will invest $825,000 toward the King Township Fibre Optic Broadband Expansion project. The government of Ontario will invest a matching $825,000, and Vianet will contribute the remainder of the project costs. The government of Canada will invest $444,115 toward the Huron Co-operatives Rural Broadband Improvement project. The government of Ontario will invest a matching $444,115, and Comcentric Networking will contribute the remainder of the project costs.
In King Township, the project will expand the fiber-optic broadband network to rural residents. In Huron County, the project will provide high-speed broadband service to 929 homes, dozens of small businesses and a school.
"Agri-business, small business and residents in Huron County need last-mile access to the extensive high speed backbone that currently exists in the county," said Glenn Grubb, president of Comcentric. "This initiative will permit Comcentric's three participating co-operatives, HuronTel, Hay and Tuckersmith to extend access to more than 900 co-op members, allowing them to share in the benefits of the digital economy."
Funding is being provided through the Small Communities Fund, which supports priority infrastructure projects in communities across the country that have fewer than 100,000 residents. The government of Canada plans to provide more than $180 billion in infrastructure funding over 12 years for public transit, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, transportation, and Canada's rural and northern communities.
