(Middlesex County, ON) April 20, 2022– SWIFT today announced high-speed fibre-optic internet service is now available to an additional 386 homes and businesses throughout the municipalities of Thames Centre, Southwest Middlesex and Strathroy-Caradoc.
“From education and work to growing local economies, access to high-quality broadband is key to supporting communities in today’s digital world,” said Barry Field, Executive Director, SWIFT. “With the new high-speed fibre connections made through these very important broadband investments many more residents and local business owners now have access to sustainable broadband service that will meet the needs of these communities now and well into the future.”
“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 Middlesex 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.”
START.CA, which was awarded funding through the SWIFT program to support the expansion of broadband infrastructure in Middlesex County, has completed the construction of a fibre-to-the-home network within the municipality of Thames Centre in a rural area south of Thorndale. The network coverage area, which extends east of London along Trafalgar Street, Dundas Street and Wyton Drive, as well as northwest from the Dorchester area along parts of Shaw Road and Nissouri Road and north to Thames River/Fanshawe Lake area, is now offering high-speed internet service to 239 homes and businesses.
Within the municipalities of Southwest Middlesex and Strathroy-Caradoc, North Frontenac Telephone Company (NFTC) has completed the construction of a high-speed network to provide fast reliable broadband connectivity to 147 homes and businesses located between the rural communities of Glencoe, Newbury and Wardsville. The network coverage area also includes a small area to the west of Cradoc in the Township of Stathroy-Caradoc.
“The expansion of rural broadband is incredibly important for residents and businesses in Middlesex County who need reliable, high-speed internet to work, attend school or connect with family and friends,” said Middlesex Warden Alison Warwick. “Thank you to SWIFT for its continued commitment to improving internet access in underserved areas across the region.”
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 $13 million to bring high-speed internet service to 1,789 underserved homes and businesses throughout Middlesex 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
