• $54 million in combined Federal and Provincial funding is being made available to Rogers Communications to facilitate rural high-speed internet access.
  • The Honourable Helena Jaczek, Markham-Stouffville MP and Federal Minister of Public Services and Procurement, and Paul Calandra, Markham-Stouffville MPP and Minister of Long Term Care, were joined this morning by Mayor Iain Lovatt and Rogers representatives at the Whitchurch-Stouffville Public Library to make the announcement.
  • Meant to incentivize installation of large-scale fibre infrastructure and deliver broadband access to more than 20,000 homes, the money will be provided to Rogers after they have connected communities to high-speed internet service.
  • The funding follows a similar $48 million announcement in March and is part of an ongoing partnership between Canada and Ontario assisting communities still relying on dial-up and satellite internet service.
  • Ontario hopes to connect the entire province to high-speed service by 2026, and the Federal government plans to have all of Canada connected by 2030.
“This year, our government has made significant investments in broadband across the province,” Minister Jaczek said, mentioning multiple Stouffville communities who have benefited from them. “Having access to this essential service is the economic equalizer for rural Canadians and those in underserved communities.”
     MPP Calandra praised former Councillor Ken Ferdinands and Stouffville’s Council for their efforts in encouraging and delivering high-speed internet service to the Town’s rural communities. “Stouffville led the way for many rural parts in and around the GTA with respect to connectivity and the importance of it,” Calandra noted. “If it wasn’t for this town…surrounding communities would not be getting some of the internet connectivity that we are announcing today.”
     Jaczek, Calandra, and Mayor Lovatt highlighted the importance of rural broadband access. “The last couple years showed us just how important it is to provide people the opportunity to connect online, whether it’s through healthcare, education, or access to community services,” Calandra explained. Jaczek noted how high-speed Internet service is essential to the success of everyone, especially those living and working in Ontario’s rural communities, and Lovatt thanked them both for their governments’ ongoing efforts supporting Stouffville’s rural communities.
     As of today, 93.5% of Canadian households have access to high-speed Internet, compared to just 79% in 2014. The Ontario government has created a portal and map showing where government-supported broadband projects are planned, underway, and completed. More information regarding the announcement and partnership can be found here.