MP Bev Shipley announces major investment that will bring fast, reliable Internet services to 11,000 homes in southwestern Ontario

News Release
For Immediate Release

Improved high-speed Internet coming to over 11,000 households in southwestern Ontario
MP Bev Shipley announces major investment that will bring fast, reliable Internet services to 11,000 homes in southwestern Ontario

July 22, 2015 – Strathroy, Ontario – Industry Canada

Everyday tasks that were once done in person, such as shopping, communicating, learning and banking, are now done online. To help Canadian communities, businesses and families have better access to these and many other online opportunities, Bev Shipley, Member of Parliament for Lambton–Kent–Middlesex, today announced that the Harper Government will provide TekSavvy and Execulink Telecom with a total of $3.15 million to connect over 11,000 homes in southwestern Ontario to faster Internet services. This investment will benefit 30 communities in southwestern Ontario.

Mr. Shipley highlighted the fact that over 5,000 households in the Lambton–Kent–Middlesex region will benefit from the investment announced today. These broadband infrastructure projects are expected to be completed by the end of April 2018, delivering Internet download speeds of up to 20 megabits per second (Mbps).

For all Canadians, the Internet is a tool that spurs economic growth, broadens opportunities, and connects friends and family from coast to coast to coast. For Canadians who live in communities with slow or no Internet, access to high-speed services will lead to new economic opportunities and the creation of new jobs, products and services.

By Canada’s 150th birthday in 2017, over 98 percent of Canadian households will be able to subscribe to new or improved high-speed Internet services, which helps deliver on the Government’s commitment to rural Canadians.

Quick facts:

• The households to be connected in the Lambton–Kent–Middlesex region under today’s announcement are in the following communities and surrounding areas:
• Adelaide Metcalfe, Brooke-Alvinston, Carlisle, Central Elgin, Chatham-Kent, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation, Coldstream, Denfield, Dutton Dunwich, Enniskillen, Kettle Point, Lambton Shores, Lobo, London, Lucan Biddulph, Malahide, Melrose, Middlesex Centre, Moravian, North Middlesex, Oneida, Plympton-Wyoming, Poplar Hill, Sarnia, Southwest Middlesex, Southwold, St. Thomas, Strathroy-Caradoc, Warwick and West Elgin
• Through Economic Action Plan 2014, the Government of Canada created the Connecting Canadians program, backed by a $305-million commitment to connect an additional 280,000 households in rural and remote regions of the country to high-speed Internet services at minimum speeds of 5 Mbps.
• The Government has exceeded its Economic Action Plan 2014 target by over 75,000 households in the first round of project approvals, bringing high-speed Internet access to more than 356,000 homes across Canada, and nearly 40 percent under budget.
• Last summer, the Government invited Canadians to provide feedback online to help better determine areas in need of high-speed Internet access. Once information was received, Industry Canada invited Internet service providers to submit proposals for funding under Connecting Canadians to build the wireless or wired infrastructure that will provide services to rural and remote communities in need.
• The first projects are expected to be completed by the time Canada celebrates the 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017.
• Industry Canada received over 300 applications to the Connecting Canadians program from Internet service providers across Canada.
• Every province and territory across the country will benefit from the Connecting Canadians program. Announcements of individual projects will be made throughout the summer.

Quotes:

“I am pleased to make this announcement today on behalf of Industry Minister James Moore. Thanks to these three projects, the residents of this great region of southwestern Ontario will benefit from all the advantages and possibilities offered by high-speed Internet service.”
– Bev Shipley, Member of Parliament for Lambton–Kent–Middlesex

“Today’s announcement is another step towards the Government of Canada’s goal to ensuring all Canadians have the opportunity to fully participate in the digital economy. Communities, families, farmers, and local shop owners nationwide will soon benefit from this broadband expansion project and the advantages associated with high-speed Internet access.”
– James Moore, Minister of Industry

“With the assistance of the Government of Canada, we are excited to be able to invest in network access facilities that will see southwestern Ontario become more connected and to deliver an awesome Internet experience over that connection.”
– Marc Gaudrault, Chief Executive Officer, TekSavvy

“Participating in the Connecting Canadians program will allow Execulink to expand our fibre to the home network to the rural communities of Poplar Hill, Melrose, Coldstream, Lobo, Denfield and Carlisle, giving them the ability to stay competitive with urban communities. It will also allow us to upgrade the infrastructure on our existing fixed wireless facilities in Oxford, Elgin and Middlesex, providing more homeowners who use this service access to higher Internet speeds. Overall it is an exciting day for Internet users in our area, and we look forward to bringing these enhanced services to them.”
– Ian Stevens, President and CEO, Execulink Telecom

Associated link:

• Connecting Canadians website