Be sure to visit the Newsletter section of MPP Brian Saunderson's website - Click here to read them!

Governments of Canada and Ontario investing over $219 million to bring high-speed internet access to more than 66,000 households in over 300 communities in southern Ontario

August 28, 2023

Today, the Honourable Anita Anand, President of the Treasury Board, and the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, on behalf of the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, together with the Honourable Kinga Surma, Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure, and Donna Skelly, Member of Provincial Parliament for Flamborough—Glanbrook, announced over $219 million in combined federal and provincial funding for Rogers to bring high-speed Internet access to more than 66,000 households in over 300  communities, including over 600 Indigenous households, including the following communities in Simcoe-Grey:

  • Mair Mills
  • Collingwood
  • Lisle
  • New Wasaga Beach
  • Angus
  • Thornton
  • Rosemont
  • Singhampton
  • Avening
  • Duntroon
  • Wasaga Beach
  • Creemore
  • Stayner
  • Nottawa
  • New Lowell

For more details, please visit Ontario.ca/highspeedinternet and use our highspeed internet map to search by community and address.

August 28, 2023 NEWS RELEASE:

All Canadians need access to reliable high-speed internet, no matter where they live. The governments of Canada and Ontario are taking action to bring high-speed internet access to unserved and underserved communities across Ontario.

Today, the Honourable Anita Anand, President of the Treasury Board, and the Honourable Filomena Tassi, Minister responsible for the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario, on behalf of the Honourable Gudie Hutchings, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister responsible for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, together with the Honourable Kinga Surma, Ontario’s Minister of Infrastructure, and Donna Skelly, Member of Provincial Parliament for Flamborough–Glanbrook, announced over $219 million in combined federal and provincial funding for Rogers to bring high-speed internet access to more than 66,000 households in over 300 Ontario communities, including over 600 Indigenous households.

The projects being announced today are part of an existing partnership between Ontario and Canada. On July 29, 2021, the governments announced a Canada–Ontario broadband partnership to support large-scale, fibre-based projects that will provide high-speed internet access to more than 280,000 households across the province. This historic agreement was made possible by a joint federal-provincial investment totalling more than $1.2 billion.

Today’s announcement builds on the Government of Canada’s progress toward ensuring that 98 per cent of Canadians have access to high-speed internet by 2026, and 100 per cent by 2030. The announcement also brings the Government of Ontario closer to achieving its goal of bringing reliable high-speed internet access to every community in the province by the end of 2025.

Quick Facts

  • Canada’s Connectivity Strategy aims to provide all Canadians with access to internet speeds of at least 50 megabits per second (Mbps) download / 10 Mbps upload.
  • The Universal Broadband Fund is a $3.225 billion investment by the Government of Canada designed to help provide high-speed internet access to 98 per cent of Canadians by 2026 and achieve the national target of 100 per cent access by 2030.
  • Today, 93.5 per cent of Canadian households have access to high-speed internet, compared to just 79 per cent in 2014.
  • The Ontario government is investing nearly $4 billion to bring access to reliable high-speed internet to every community across the province by the end of 2025. This is the largest single investment in high-speed internet in any province, by any government in Canadian history.
  • As of August 2023, Ontario has finalized agreements totalling more than $2.3 billion for nearly 200 high‑speed internet and cellular projects that will bring access to more than 500,000 homes and businesses across the province.
  • Earlier this year, Ontario launched a new interactive online map that shows where provincially funded high-speed internet projects are planned, are currently under way or have been recently completed. Ontarians can use the map to learn about projects in their area and find out where high-speed internet service is currently available.
  • In 2021, Ontario passed the Supporting Broadband and Infrastructure Expansion Act, 2021 to help speed up construction of high-speed internet projects. To build upon this legislation, the Ontario government also passed the Getting Ontario Connected Act, 2022, which further reduces barriers, duplication and delays.

–Ontario Supporting More Innovation in Cybersecurity–

New Cybersecurity Excellence Initiative will bring new cybersecurity technology to Ontario businesses and boost innovation:

OTTAWA — The Ontario government is investing up to $5 million to help Canadian Cyber Threat Exchange (CCTX) launch the Ontario Cybersecurity Excellence Initiative that will help Ontario companies develop and adopt cybersecurity technologies that enhance data security and protect company assets from cyber threats and other advanced technologies. Developing and adopting critical technologies like cybersecurity will increase Ontario’s competitiveness around the world and create highly skilled jobs in the province’s growing tech sector.

“Ontario is one of the largest tech hubs in North America and critical technologies like cybersecurity fuel and drive made-in-Ontario innovation as companies include new technologies in their products,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Our government is proud to support CCTX’s work to help businesses across the province develop and adopt new-generation cybersecurity technology so they can become more competitive, grow and create more good-paying jobs.”

CCTX, a not-for-profit, cyber-threat sharing hub and collaboration centre, will receive up to $5 million through the province’s Critical Technology Initiatives program to launch the new Ontario Cybersecurity Excellence Initiative in partnership with Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University’s national centre for training, innovation and collaboration in cybersecurity. The initiative will provide training and support to entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized businesses developing and adopting cybersecurity solutions and will empower Ontario-based technology startups to solve key cybersecurity-related challenges.

–Ontario Supporting More Innovation in Cybersecurity–

New Cybersecurity Excellence Initiative will bring new cybersecurity technology to Ontario businesses and boost innovation:

OTTAWA — The Ontario government is investing up to $5 million to help Canadian Cyber Threat Exchange (CCTX) launch the Ontario Cybersecurity Excellence Initiative that will help Ontario companies develop and adopt cybersecurity technologies that enhance data security and protect company assets from cyber threats and other advanced technologies. Developing and adopting critical technologies like cybersecurity will increase Ontario’s competitiveness around the world and create highly skilled jobs in the province’s growing tech sector.

“Ontario is one of the largest tech hubs in North America and critical technologies like cybersecurity fuel and drive made-in-Ontario innovation as companies include new technologies in their products,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Our government is proud to support CCTX’s work to help businesses across the province develop and adopt new-generation cybersecurity technology so they can become more competitive, grow and create more good-paying jobs.”

CCTX, a not-for-profit, cyber-threat sharing hub and collaboration centre, will receive up to $5 million through the province’s Critical Technology Initiatives program to launch the new Ontario Cybersecurity Excellence Initiative in partnership with Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University’s national centre for training, innovation and collaboration in cybersecurity. The initiative will provide training and support to entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized businesses developing and adopting cybersecurity solutions and will empower Ontario-based technology startups to solve key cybersecurity-related challenges.

Ontario Supporting More Innovation in Cybersecurity

New Cybersecurity Excellence Initiative will bring new cybersecurity technology to Ontario businesses and boost innovation

OTTAWA — The Ontario government is investing up to $5 million to help Canadian Cyber Threat Exchange (CCTX) launch the Ontario Cybersecurity Excellence Initiative that will help Ontario companies develop and adopt cybersecurity technologies that enhance data security and protect company assets from cyber threats and other advanced technologies. Developing and adopting critical technologies like cybersecurity will increase Ontario’s competitiveness around the world and create highly skilled jobs in the province’s growing tech sector.

“Ontario is one of the largest tech hubs in North America and critical technologies like cybersecurity fuel and drive made-in-Ontario innovation as companies include new technologies in their products,” said Vic Fedeli, Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade. “Our government is proud to support CCTX’s work to help businesses across the province develop and adopt new-generation cybersecurity technology so they can become more competitive, grow and create more good-paying jobs.”

CCTX, a not-for-profit, cyber-threat sharing hub and collaboration centre, will receive up to $5 million through the province’s Critical Technology Initiatives program to launch the new Ontario Cybersecurity Excellence Initiative in partnership with Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, Toronto Metropolitan University’s national centre for training, innovation and collaboration in cybersecurity. The initiative will provide training and support to entrepreneurs and small and medium-sized businesses developing and adopting cybersecurity solutions and will empower Ontario-based technology startups to solve key cybersecurity-related challenges.

“CCTX is delighted to join forces with the Catalyst to launch the Ontario Cybersecurity Excellence Initiative,” said Jennifer Quaid, Executive Director of CCTX. “This partnership is a unique opportunity to pool our expertise, resources and networks within the cybersecurity ecosystem to help foster a technologically advanced economy in Ontario, secured by best-in-class cybersecurity products and processes.”

The province’s $107 million Critical Technology Initiatives funding supports programs led by not-for-profit organizations to accelerate the use of critical technologies by Ontario companies and enable the development and adoption of innovative made-in-Ontario solutions. Critical technologies, such as 5G, ethical artificial intelligence, blockchain, cybersecurity and robotics, will help Ontario companies increase productivity, open new revenue streams, create highly skilled jobs and enhance global competitiveness.