Hundreds of households in Hearst, Ontario will soon benefit from improved internet connectivity thanks to a recent announcement made by the federal government.
$763,000 has been allocated to bring high-speed internet to 373 households in the Northern Ontario town.
The funding is coming from the Universal Broadband Fund. The government has dedicated nearly $3 billion towards the fund to support projects bringing high-speed internet to communities in Canada.
131 projects were supported by funding through this stream last year, benefiting 75,000 households in remote communities across Canada.
“We will continue making investments like these in rural and remote communities to help connect every single Canadian to high-speed internet,” Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development, said in a statement.
This announcement is part of the government’s initiative to ensure 98 percent of residents have access to high-speed internet by 2026 and more announcements are expected.
The initiative also saw the government allocating another $123,400 to two projects bringing high-speed internet to rural Ontario. The first project is worth $39,400 and will benefit the community of Flamborough. The second project is worth $84,000 and will benefit the Southern Ontario town of Limehouse. 310 households will benefit from this investment.
“The pandemic has shown us how essential high-speed internet access is for school, work, health and daily life. Our government understands that it is urgent and vital to connect rural communities throughout Canada, and that includes Ontario,” Adam van Koeverden, MP for Milton, said in a statement.
Updated 25/01/22 2:45PM ET: The article has been updated to reflect the funding for Flamborough and Limehouse.
Image credit: ShutterStock
Source: Government of Canada
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