(Dufferin County, ON) January 27, 2023 – SWIFT is pleased to announce high-speed connectivity is now available to more than 145 homes and businesses in Dufferin County.
In partnership with SWIFT, Cogeco has completed the construction of a 13 kilometre fibre-to-the-home network in the Township of East Garafraxa to provide high-speed internet access to residents living and working in the communities of Marsville, Orton, Prices Corner and Craigsholme.
“Providing equitable access to high-speed connectivity is key to supporting the social and economic growth of small and rural communities across Southwestern Ontario and we are pleased to be working with Cogeco to bring better and faster broadband connectivity to underserved areas in Dufferin County,” said Barry Field, Executive Director, SWIFT. “With four out of five high-speed internet projects now complete in Dufferin County and the with the final project anticipated to be fully in-service in the coming weeks, it’s great to see the SWIFT initiative making strong progress to expand fibre-optic connectivity to more homes and businesses throughout the County.”
“Providing reliable internet access is especially important for rural communities to prosper in our increasingly digital world,” said Ruby Sahota, member of parliament for Brampton North, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities. “Today’s announcement will ensure that homes, businesses, and farms in Dufferin County can connect to essential online services and enjoy the additional economic opportunities made available through high-speed internet.”
“Our government continues to deliver on our commitment to expand access to high-speed internet across the province,” said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “By building new broadband infrastructure in Dufferin County, we are helping build Ontario and strengthen rural communities. This investment is helping people stay in touch with loved ones, enabling them to access the supports they need while providing a much-needed boost to the local economy.”
“Today’s announcement is another example of how our government is continuing to expand high-speed internet in Dufferin County,” said Sylvia Jones, MPP for Dufferin-Caledon.” This investment brings reliable internet to our rural communities which is so important for local businesses, schools and families to work, study and stay connected.”
Residents located within the SWIFT funded project area that are interested in subscribing to the newly available high-speed service can now sign up with Cogeco to receive fibre-optic connectivity to their homes and businesses.
“We are proud to complete our first network expansion project in the Township of East Garafraxa and Dufferin County in partnership with SWIFT. Residents and businesses in Craigsholme, Marsville, and Prices Corner will soon enjoy our powerful high-speed Internet and local programming on YourTV, keeping them connected to their friends, family, coworkers, clients, and community,” said Matt Wickham, Vice President and General Manager, Customer Experience and B2B at Cogeco.
To learn more about Cogeco’s high-speed internet service, please visit www.cogeco.ca or call 1.866.261.4447.
Today’s announcement is part of SWIFT’s $270 million regional broadband expansion plan that will bring high-speed internet access to nearly 64,000 homes and businesses throughout Southwestern Ontario.
For additional information on SWIFT funded projects, please visit: www.swiftruralbroadband.ca.
Quick Facts:
- SWIFT in partnership with the federal and provincial governments and private sector investors has committed a combined investment of $10.5 million, including an additional investment of $1.2 million from Dufferin County, to bring high-speed internet service to 1,855 underserved homes and businesses throughout Dufferin County.
- In total, SWIFT has awarded 97 contracts to support the expansion of broadband infrastructure throughout Southwestern Ontario to bring nearly 64,000 homes and businesses across the region access to high-speed internet service. Local projects are underway, with 32 projects in the construction phase and 65 projects completed.
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, Caledon and the Niagara Region.
The project was approved for funding up to $127.4 million 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 bring 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
