(Dufferin, ON) February 10, 2021 – Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) is pleased to announce construction is now underway to increase access to broadband services in Dufferin County.
“Access to fast, reliable broadband service is more important than ever,” said David Mayberry, SWIFT Board Chair. “With shovels now in the ground and additional awarded projects slated to start construction later this year, residents in Dufferin County are now one step closer to greater access to high-speed connectivity.”
SWIFT, in partnership with the federal and provincial governments and private sector investors, recently announced a combined investment of $10.4 million to deliver high-speed internet to more than 1,663 underserved homes and businesses throughout Dufferin County.
Construction has now begun on the first project to bring better broadband services to more than 300 homes and businesses in the community of Mansfield. The $829,000 joint venture between SWIFT and Bell Canada is expected to be completed, with services fully available by early 2022.
“Bell’s goal is to advance how Canadians connect with each other and the world, so we are excited to have begun work to bring enhanced broadband connectivity to consumers and businesses in Mansfield,” said Bell Senior Vice President Bruce Furlong. “We’re proud to partner with SWIFT and the federal and provincial governments to expand access to the social and economic benefits fibre broadband is bringing to Dufferin County.”
“SWIFT projects are now rolling out across Southwestern Ontario at an accelerated rate in efforts to bring more residents online and up-to-speed as quickly as possible,” said Barry Field, Executive Director, SWIFT. “It’s exciting to see that work has already begun in Dufferin County and we are proud to partner with Bell Canada on this very important project.”
Today’s announcement is part of SWIFT’s $209 million broadband expansion plan that aims to bring better broadband access to approximately 50,000 underserved homes and businesses across Southwestern Ontario.
Additional Information:
Dufferin County Project Overview
About SWIFT:
Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) is a non-profit regional broadband project initiated by the Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus to subsidize the construction of high-speed broadband networks across Southwestern Ontario.
The project was approved for funding under the New Building Canada Fund – Small Communities Fund (NBCF-SCF), a joint federal and provincial infrastructure funding program, and leverages additional funding from municipal partners and private sector investors to improve access to broadband services across the region.
Media Contact:
Melissa O’Brien
[email protected]
Manager, Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology
226.256.1640
