(Elgin County, ON) August 26, 2022– SWIFT today announced fast reliable internet connectivity will soon be available to more homes and businesses in Elgin County, as the regional broadband program marks the start of construction on two high-speed projects that will expand broadband service to an additional 1,132 locations throughout the municipalities of West Elgin, Dutton Dunwich and Southwold.
“SWIFT is proud to partner with North Frontenac Telephone Corporation and EH!tel Networks on these very important projects as we continue our efforts to expand broadband service throughout Elgin County and across Southwestern Ontario,” said Barry Field, Executive Director, SWIFT. “With construction of the broadband infrastructure now underway to service more than 1,100 homes and businesses, access to high-speed connectivity will soon be a reality for many more residents living and working in Elgin County.”
“Our government is getting it done and delivering on our commitment to provide access to high-speed internet throughout rural Ontario,” said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “Projects like these in Elgin County that connect more communities to high-speed internet, are crucial to building a stronger Ontario by helping families and farmers stay in touch with loved ones, enabling them to access supports they need while providing a much-needed boost to the local economies.”
In partnership with SWIFT, North Frontenac Telephone Corporation (NFTC) began construction earlier this year to bring improved high-speed internet access to 742 homes and businesses in the western section of Elgin County in the municipalities of West Elgin and Dutton Dunwich. Through a combination of both fibre and wireless technologies, the high-speed project will significantly expand broadband access to many more residents located within the communities of Tyrconnell, Duttona Beach, New Glasgow, Churchville and Port Glasgow.
Awarded service provider, EH!tel Networks, has also broken ground on a fibre-optic network to expand broadband service throughout the municipalities of Southwold and Dutton Dunwich. Once complete the fibre-to-the-home network will provide an additional 390 homes and businesses within the communities of Iona, Iona Station, Lawrence Station and Southwold with access to high-speed connectivity.
“Ensuring that our residents have access to fast, reliable, and affordable highspeed internet remains a top priority of Elgin County Council. This is evidenced through the continuing dedication of our Connectivity Committee and the recent approval of a Connectivity Advocacy Strategy by County Council,” said Elgin County Warden Mary French. “It is exciting to see increased opportunities for internet connectivity coming to rural areas of Southwold Township, the Municipality of Dutton Dunwich, and the Municipality of West Elgin. There is still important work to be done to ensure everyone in Elgin County gets connected but it is exciting to see these projects come to fruition.”
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.
For additional information on SWIFT funded projects, please visit: www.swiftruralbroadband.ca/projects
Quotes:
“NFTC is proud to partner with SWIFT to expand our network footprint in Elgin County. NFTC has been actively building new fibre optic networks in Elgin County for the past 5 years. This project will allow us to continue our investment in the County and bring high speed fibre optic connectivity to even more underserved residents. NFTC has a proud history of serving rural Ontario communities for over 60 years.”
– Grant Roughley, Vice President, NFTC.
“Construction has now started in Elgin, with permits progressing nicely. We also anticipate deploying more contractors in the upcoming months, which should help accelerate the build.”
– Antonius Peeters, CEO and President, EH!tel Networks.
Quick Facts:
- SWIFT, in partnership with the federal and provincial governments and private sector investors, has committed a combined investment of $6.1 million to bring high-speed internet service to 1,448 underserved homes and businesses throughout Eglin 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, including 51 projects in the construction phase and 40 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
