(Brant County, ON) December 8, 2023 – Today, SWIFT announced the successful completion of a high-speed broadband project in Brant County, providing fibre-optic connectivity to 1,639 previously underserved homes and businesses.
“We’re pleased to see the positive impacts the newly installed network infrastructure will have on the residents and business owners in Brant County. The completion of this project is set to bring transformative, long-term change to the communities—creating opportunities and breaking down previous digital barriers,” said Barry Field, Executive Director, SWIFT.
As part of SWIFT’s Southwestern broadband expansion plan, the awarded service provider Xplore was granted funding to deploy fibre-optic cabling across 127 kilometres of roadway throughout Brant County, bringing high-speed internet service to four separate areas including:
- Harrisburg and northeast of Paris in the northern portion of the project area
- The community of Onondaga and areas east of Cainsville and Brantford in the eastern portion of the project
- The communities of Newport and Burtch, as well as an area west of Mount Pleasant along Pleasant Ridge Road/County Road 7 in the central portion of the project; and
- The communities of Cathcart, Harley, Fairfield Plain, Northfield, and Kelvin in the southwestern section of the project area
“Ontario continues to deliver on its commitment to expand access to high-speed internet to communities across the province,” said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “By installing new broadband infrastructure in Brant County, we’re building Ontario and strengthening rural communities. This investment is helping people stay in touch with loved ones, allowing families to connect with online services, and making it easier for businesses to reach potential customers.”
“Today, more than ever, Ontario families and businesses rely on reliable and fast internet connectivity,” said Will Bouma, MPP for Brantford-Brant. “Regardless of where you live, accessible broadband is no longer a luxury, but rather a necessity for education, work and everyday business-to-business transactions. I am happy to be part of a government that prioritizes this reality and evens the playing field for many rural communities.”
“Rural communities are what make the County of Brant such a special place to live, but not having access to high-speed internet can be challenging and affect residents’ ability to stay connected, both personally and professionally,” said County of Brant Mayor David Bailey. “By implementing access to high-speed internet for 1,639 homes and businesses in the County, SWIFT is not only enhancing the quality of life of these residents but also providing economic opportunities. This is a wonderful achievement for Brant and a step forward in minimizing the digital gap for residents.”
Residents located in the SWIFT-funded project areas can now contact Xplore by calling 1.866.671.3573 to receive fibre-optic connectivity to their homes and businesses.
“We’re pleased to complete our fibre Internet project in Brant County, connecting more than 1,600 premises to high-speed fibre Internet,” said Rizwan Jamal, President and Chief Executive Officer, Xplore Inc. “This project underscores our unwavering commitment to enhancing rural living, and it builds on the momentum of the additional 5,100 homes we’ve already enabled to connect to fibre as part of the SWIFT initiative. We recognize the profound impact reliable Internet access has on rural communities, and we’re dedicated to continuing our work to connect even more Ontarians to high-speed Internet, ensuring they can enjoy the benefits it brings to their daily lives.”
The completion of these projects is part of SWIFT’s $270 million regional broadband expansion plan, which aims to provide high-speed internet access to more than 64,000 homes and businesses throughout Southwestern Ontario.
For additional information about SWIFT and its broadband expansion plans, please visit www.swiftruralbroadband.ca
Quick Facts:
- SWIFT in partnership with the federal and provincial governments and private sector investors has committed a combined investment of $9.3 million to bring high-speed internet service to 1,639 underserved homes and businesses in Brant County.
- In total, SWIFT has awarded 97 contracts to support the expansion of broadband infrastructure throughout Southwestern Ontario to bring over 64,000 homes and businesses across the region access to high-speed internet service. Local projects are underway, with 9 projects in the construction phase and 88 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
