Up to 1,800 Oxford homes, businesses to benefit from high-speed internet investment

Governments Supporting Access to High-Speed Internet in Southwestern Ontario

Up to 60,000 homes and businesses to benefit from $252 million investment,
including up to 1,800 in Oxford

WOODSTOCK — The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted how much we rely on our internet connections, making access to fast and reliable internet service even more critical. For too long, many rural Canadians have lacked access to high-speed internet, impacting their ability to work, learn and keep in touch with family and friends. The pandemic has made addressing this divide even more urgent. That’s why the governments of Canada and Ontario are accelerating their investments in broadband infrastructure.

On Thursday, the Honourable Bardish Chagger, Minister of Diversity and Inclusion and Youth, on behalf of the Honourable Maryam Monsef, Minister for Women and Gender Equality and Rural Economic Development and Member of Parliament for Peterborough–Kawartha, together with the Honourable Kinga Surma, Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure, highlighted a combined federal and provincial investment of $252 million to bring high-speed internet to 60,000 rural Ontario households in southwestern Ontario.

“Our government is working hard to ensure that everyone, no matter where you live, can take part and thrive in our digital world,” said Ernie Hardeman, MPP for Oxford. “There are many areas of Oxford that are going to benefit from this investment.”

This investment is being made as part of a joint federal-provincial agreement through which the Government of Canada and the Government of Ontario have partnered to support large-scale, fibre-based projects that will provide high-speed internet access to all corners of the province by 2025.

In Oxford, 4 projects will receive funding up to about $10 million to bring internet to as many as 1,800 homes and businesses. Projects are slated for areas of Strathallan, Innerkip, Bright; Salford, Culloden, Mount Elgin, Brownsville, Sweaburg, and Beachville; Otterville, Oxford Centre, and Norwich; and Tavistock.