- Bell Canada is now offering high-speed internet service in the community of Mansfield.
- EH!tel Networks starts construction on a fibre-to-the-home network to bring greater connectivity to many more residents living in the Townships of Melancthon and Mulmur.
(Dufferin County, ON) April 20, 2022– SWIFT announced today Bell Canada has completed the construction of a fibre-optic network in Dufferin County to bring high-speed internet to 308 homes and businesses in the community of Mansfield.
“With service now available to many more residents located in the community of Mansfield and with work underway to bring greater connectivity to the Townships of Melancthon and Mulmur, we are proud to partner with Bell Canada and EH!tel Networks in our efforts to further expand broadband service in Dufferin County,” said Barry Field, Executive Director, SWIFT. “These high-speed fibre-optic projects will have long-term positive impacts on the communities, provide residents with equitable access to online opportunities and businesses with greater economic growth potential.”
“We’re delivering on our commitment to provide access to high-speed internet for rural Ontario,” said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “Building new broadband infrastructure in Dufferin County will help build Ontario and strengthen rural communities by helping people stay in touch with loved ones, enabling them to access the supports they need and providing a much-needed boost to the local economy.”
The new fibre-to-the-home network is now in service to provide residents and business owners located in the community of Mansfield and the residential areas surrounding the Mansfield Ski Club with access to fast, reliable broadband connectivity. The network coverage area also includes portions of County Roads 5 and 17.
“Bell is very pleased to bring enhanced fibre broadband connectivity to over 300 residents and businesses in the community of Mansfield,” said Bruce Furlong, Bell Senior Vice President. “We’re proud of our partnership with SWIFT and the federal and provincial governments to expand access to high-speed internet in Dufferin County.”
Construction of broadband infrastructure to bring improved internet connectivity to many more residents in the Township of Melancthon and Mulmur has also now begun, as EH!tel Networks breaks ground on a fibre-optic network to service 654 homes and businesses within the communities of Redickville, Honeywood, Black Bank, Ruskview, Terra Nova, Kilgorie, Horning’s Mills, Whitfield and Springwater Lakes.
The high-speed project will service portions of County Road 124 north from Shelburne to the Horning’s Mills area, as well as east along County Road 17 to Whitfield, northeast along Prince of Wales Road, River Road, Sideroad 20 towards Terra Nova and extend coverage west along County Road 21 through Honeywood and along County Road 124.
Construction of the fibre-to-the-home network is forecasted to be complete with service fully available to all locations within the network’s coverage area by November 2022.
For additional information on SWIFT funded projects, please visit: www.swiftruralbroadband.ca/projects
Today’s announcement is part of SWIFT’s $268 million regional broadband expansion plan that will bring high-speed internet service to more than 63,000 homes and businesses throughout Southwestern Ontario.
Additional Information:
Quick Facts:
- SWIFT, in partnership with the federal and provincial governments and private sector investors, has committed a combined investment of $10.4 million to bring high-speed internet service to 1,847 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 more than 63,000 homes and businesses across the region improved access to high-speed internet. Local projects are underway, with 57 projects in the construction phase and 24 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
