(Caledon, Ontario ) November 28, 2024– SWIFT is pleased to announce the successful completion of all high-speed internet expansion projects in Town of Caledon as part of the SWIFT 1.0 initiative. This milestone wraps up a series of critical broadband infrastructure improvements aimed at closing the digital divide in underserved areas.
Through strategic investments totaling $6.3 million, SWIFT, in collaboration with public and private sector partners, has successfully expanded high-speed internet services to 1,146 previously underserved homes and businesses across the region.
“Access to reliable, high-speed internet is essential for vibrant communities and thriving local economies,” said Barry Field, Executive Director, SWIFT. “With the completion of these projects in Caledon, we’re bridging critical connectivity gaps, ensuring that residents and businesses in underserved areas can fully participate in today’s digital world. This investment will not only enhance quality of life but also support economic growth and open up new opportunities for education, healthcare, and business innovation.”
“High-speed connectivity is necessary to thrive in the modern world. Thanks to the commitment of SWIFT and their partners, more than 1,100 homes and businesses in our community are now connected to high-speed internet. This work is an important step in ensuring that Caledon is positioned for a bright and connected future.”
-Mayor Annette Groves
Key highlights of the completed projects include:
-
- Fibre-to-the-Home Projects Vianet: Vianet has successfully completed two SWIFT funded fibre-to-the-home projects in Caledon, expanding service along 60 kilometres of underserved roadway. These projects have collectively provided high-speed internet access to 847 homes and businesses across within the communities of Albion, Humber Grove, along with areas in northeastern Caledon, including sections of Mount Pleasant Road, Mount Wolfe Road, Albion Trail, Bruno Ridge Drive, and Halls Lake Sideroad.
-
- North Frontenac Telephone Company (NFTC) Fibre-Optic Network Expansion: NFTC has successfully completed the construction of a fiber-optic project in Caledon. Covering 29 kilometers of rural roadway, this completed project is now providing high-speed internet access to 299 homes and businesses in the communities of The Grange and Tamarac Estates.
These completed projects represent a strategic investment in digital infrastructure and underscore SWIFT’s commitment to bridging the digital divide, promoting economic growth, and improving the quality of life for residents and businesses within the Caledon and surrounding areas.
For additional information about SWIFT and its broadband expansion plans, please visit www.swiftruralbroadband.ca.
Quick Facts:
-
- The Town of Caledon benefited from a total of $6.3 million in broadband upgrades, with over $2.9 million contributed by service providers, as part of the SWIFT 1.0 program.
-
- Through SWIFT’s $273 million regional broadband expansion plan, nearly 67,000 previously underserved homes and businesses throughout Southwestern Ontario will be provided with access to high-speed internet service, including 1,146 homes and businesses in the Town of Caledon.
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
Manager, Communications and Stakeholder Relations
Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology
[email protected]
226.256.1640
