Rogers to get $171 million in provincial funding to boost internet in Brampton, Mississauga and Ontario cities

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Published August 4, 2022 at 11:54 am

Despite a massive Canada-wide outage, Rogers is one of eight internet providers receiving funding to boost high-speed internet access.

The provincial government announced it has signed agreements with the internet providers with a goal to bring high-speed internet access to every corner of the province by the end of 2025.

“We are making tremendous progress towards building a stronger Ontario, where everyone will have access to health services, be able to work and learn online, participate in the agriculture sector, while also helping to create jobs and invest in the future of our province, today and for generations to come,”  said Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure.

Brampton and Mississauga are two of the dozens of municipalities to benefit from $171 million funding from the province to Rogers Communications Canada Inc. The funding should help bring high speed internet to 89,295 underserved homes and businesses.

This comes after the massive Rogers outage on July 8 impacting businesses, debit payments, and courthouses.

The provincial funding and number of unserved and underserved homes and businesses are subject to change based on final agreements.

The province selected the internet service providers through a two-stage competitive process.

“This competitive process is the first of its kind in Canada and has led to an unprecedented market response and commitment to deliver high-speed internet connections to communities that have been left underserved until now,” said Michael Lindsay, president and CEO of Infrastructure Ontario.

The focus is to get high-speed internet in rural areas.

“Access to high-speed internet will help build Ontario and strengthen communities by helping families stay in touch, enabling them to access the supports they need, while providing a much-needed boost to the local economy,” said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “It’s the type of critical infrastructure that will benefit the entire community.”

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