News Release

High Speed Broadband Services Expanding In Northwest

January 13, 2009

McGuinty Government Helps Build Region’s Information Superhighways

NEWS 

Access to faster and more efficient broadband and cellular telephone services is becoming a reality in some 65 communities across Northwestern Ontario, including a number of Far North communities.

The first phase of the broadband network enhancement project will go into service on January 23, and will create new and improved opportunities for both businesses and residents. 

Some of the key benefits from the enhanced broadband network include:

• New potential for jobs to be retained or created in Northwestern Ontario through greater global access to markets and customers.
• Improved delivery of services such as health, education and government programs.
• Providing a cornerstone for many innovation, research, and business efficiencies.
• As many as 100 Bell Aliant, Bell Canada and Expertech employees and their contractors working in the region during construction. 

The province provided $2.5 million through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) towards this project.  Funding was also shared by the federal government and the private sector partner for this project, Bell Aliant, which has built and will operate the network.

QUOTES

“Effective information and communications technology can serve as a powerful regional investment attraction tool,” said Thunder Bay-Atikokan MPP Bill Mauro.  “This project will help meet the growing needs of residents and businesses in Northwestern Ontario.”

“Our funding is indicative of the commitment we made two years ago to accelerate the development of telecommunications infrastructure throughout the North,” said Northern Development and Mines Minister Michael Gravelle, who is also chair of the NOHFC.  “Approximately 98 per cent of the northern population now has access to efficient broadband technology.” 

QUICK FACTS

• This particular project covers what is called the “West Ring” – from Thunder Bay to Fort Frances, north to Kenora, and back to Thunder Bay.  It also includes the connection from Vermillion Bay to Red Lake.    
• The NOHFC’s Infrastructure and Community Development Program helps northern communities improve critical infrastructure and develop partnerships that find effective ways to create jobs and improve economic prospects in the North.

LEARN MORE

• About Ontario’s information and communications technology sector
• About the NOHFC’s six programs
• Video

Anne-Marie Flanagan, Minister’s Office, 416-327-0655
Michel Lavoie, Communications Branch, 705-564-7125 

ontario.ca/north-news

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Backgrounder

High Speed Broadband Services Expanding In Northwest

The Northwestern Ontario Innovation Centre, located in Thunder Bay, is developing broadband information and communications technology and cellular projects in Northwestern Ontario.   The “west ring” extends from Thunder Bay westward to Fort Frances along Highway 11, north to Kenora along Highway 71, and east back to Thunder Bay along Highway 17.  It also includes the connection northwards from Vermillion Bay along Highway 105 to Red Lake.    

Phase one expands the capacity of the information superhighway for the territory. It addresses future telecommunications needs and increases service reliability in Fort Frances, Kenora, Vermilion Bay, Oxdrift, Ignace as well as many of the surrounding communities.  This project will utilize 1,100 kilometres of existing fibre optics cable along highways 11, 71 and 17, now enhanced with new fibre optic electronics.  In addition, in the second phase, approximately 200 kilometres of new fibre optics will be installed along Highway 105 from Vermillion Bay to Red Lake, replacing the existing microwave transport system that currently connect the six communities along this highway, and six Far North First Nation communities. A total of 65 communities will either directly or indirectly see benefits from this project.

The upgrades will greatly increase network capacity for voice and data traffic to accommodate both current and future needs.    

Some of the project’s key benefits include:

• Economic spinoffs from as many as 100 Bell Aliant, Bell Canada and Expertech employees and their contractors working in the region during construction.
• Generating new potential for jobs to be retained or created in Northwestern Ontario through greater global access to markets and customers.
• Providing for future growth with an 18-fold increase in network capacity (from 540 megabit today to 10 Gigabit).  
• Additional capacity enabling access to high bandwidth requirements for business applications, e-government and health care services, allowing for ethernet access speeds of 10, 100 and up to 1,000 meg (1Gigabit).
• Providing new high speed Internet access to consumers and businesses in Jaffray Melick, Fort Frances, Ignace, Emo and Clearwater Bay. 
• Improving the reliability of emergency services such as 911 by providing additional diverse routing on emergency lines.

The second phase of the project will bring those same benefits to areas north of Hwy 17, including the Red Lake area, by the end of 2009.

Anne-Marie Flanagan, Minister’s Office, 416-327-0655
Michel Lavoie, Communications Branch, 705-564-7125 

ontario.ca/north-news

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