News Release
Free Wireless Internet Access In Northeastern Ontario
July 22, 2009
McGuinty Government Helping Northerners Connect With The World
NEWS
Internet users in the Timmins area will soon be able to access free high-speed wireless service at 80 public locations.
The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) will provide $47,885 to the North Eastern Ontario Communications Network Inc. (NEONet), to deploy these Internet access points, known as “hotspots”.
An information and communication technology development organization based in Timmins, NEONet will provide these hotspots at 80 designated public facilities in Timmins, as well as Kirkland Lake, Hearst, Kapuskasing, Iroquois Falls, Moonbeam, Temagami, Latchford, McGarry and Temiskaming Shores.
The project is scheduled to start soon and will take about six months to complete. It will boost the local economy by creating jobs to do site surveying, network design, access point installation and launch.
QUOTE
“Providing accessible wireless Internet hotspots in designated public places will benefit local residents, business travellers, tourists and visiting groups.”
- David Ramsay, MPP for Timiskaming-Cochrane
“Providing high-speed Internet service communities is expected to help attract more events, more people and potentially more business to the area, generating new economic benefits.”
- Minister Michael Gravelle, Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry,
and Chair of the NOHFC
QUICK FACTS
- This is the first time that public wireless Internet access has been supported by NOHFC.
- NorthernTel has been secured by NEONet to install access points in local libraries, chambers of commerce, community centres, arenas and halls, parks and other public facilities.
- Learn more about NOHFC programs.
- Read about NEONet.
Michel Lavoie, Communications Branch, 705-564-7125
ontario.ca/north-news
131, NOHFC;920114;ETP
