Ontario Announces Funding for Rural High Speed ​​Internet in Rideau Lakes – Kingston | The Canadian News

Rural broadband received a funding boost from the provincial government on Monday, when politicians gathered for the announcement in Newboro, Ontario.

Ontario’s Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma was joined by MPP Steve Clark and Rideau Lakes Township Mayor Arie Hoogenboom to announce funding for two projects for the area.

“We want to make sure that people can be safe working from home, provide for their families and educate their children and have access to all of those things,” says Surma. “This is very, very important to our government.”

The minister announced that the province will contribute almost $ 98,000 to allow more than 500 people to have access to high-speed Internet.

Funding for the two projects in Rideau Lakes Township is to increase broadband access as part of a $ 4 billion commitment to rural broadband.

“Our project consists of two towers,” says Hoogenboom. “One is going to go up to the outskirts of Elgin and the other is just going north of here, and the main extent of these towers is to service some of our lakefront properties.”

This funding announcement comes as part of the Ontario government investment of nearly $ 1.5 million through the Improving Connectivity for Ontario (ICON) program, established to provide high-speed Internet access to more than 900 households and Business.