(Lambton, ON) August 12, 2021 – SWIFT today announced that high-speed internet is now available in Kettle and Stony Point First Nation as Execulink Telecom completes construction on a $2.6 million community-wide fibre-to-the-home network.
“From education to healthcare to growing local economies, access to high-quality broadband is key to supporting communities and businesses in today’s ever-growing digital world,” said Barry Field, Executive Director, SWIFT. “We are proud of the work that has been accomplished, in partnership with Execulink Telecom and Kettle and Stony Point First Nation, to bring greater connectivity to the community and provide residents and local business owners with a sustainable long-term broadband solution.”
“The pandemic has proven that access to high speed internet is no longer a luxury but a necessity for all Ontarians,” said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “Families need internet to do their work and for school and businesses need broadband to stay connected and compete in a global marketplace. The completion of construction on projects such as the Kettle and Stony Point First Nation, are important steps forward in our government’s plan to connect every community in Ontario to high speed internet by 2025.”
As part of the fibre project, in addition to the First Nation community, high-speed internet service is also now being offered to more homes and businesses located along the northern shoreline of Lake Huron and east of West Ipperwash Road in Lambton County.
“The completion of this project is wonderful news for residents and businesses,” said Kevin Marriott, Lambton County Warden. “This project provides broadband connectivity to hundreds of homes and businesses in the area and has made a significant impact on addressing the need for high-speed internet throughout the County. The demand continues to grow, and the County is thrilled to be a part of bringing these projects to life.”
In total $1.7 million in federal and provincial funding was awarded by SWIFT to support Execulink Telecom in the development of new broadband infrastructure to bring improved connectivity to more than 1,000 households and businesses within the First Nation community and throughout the surrounding areas in Lambton County.
In addition to the completion of the fibre-optic project in Kettle and Stony Point First Nation, Execulink Telecom has also begun the expansion of a fibre-optic network in Lambton County to bring improved broadband service to more than 990 rural homes and businesses within the Municipality of Lambton Shores and throughout the Township of Plympton-Wyoming along Lakeshore Road between Ravenswood and south of Highland Glen. With a portion of the $2.2 million network expansion now completed, Execulink Telecom has started to roll-out service to customers. Over the upcoming months, as construction progresses, service is expected to continue to improve throughout the remaining project area between now and Fall 2021.
Work is also now underway in the Municipality of Lambton Shores between the communities of Ravenswood, Walden Place, Thedford, Arkona, Jura and Jericho, as Execulink Telecom has broken ground on a high-speed fibre-optic project to bring improved internet access to more than 200 rural homes and businesses. Construction of the $1.7 million fibre-to-the-home network in Lambton County is expected to be completed with service fully available by late 2021.
“Providing access to fast and reliable Internet in underserviced rural communities within Southwestern Ontario has been an ongoing challenge,” said Ian Stevens, President and CEO of Execulink Telecom. “This partnership with Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) will allow us to contribute to community and economic growth, as well as enhance broadband connectivity in areas in need of a better internet experience. We look forward to continuing to bring Fibre to the Home to those in Lambton County and providing them with the awesome experience they deserve.”
To learn more about Execulink Telecom’s high-speed internet services, please visit www.execulink.ca or call 1-866-706-2050.
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 the total project investment to $209 million to 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
