The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) is seeking federal and provincial support to deliver ultra-fast, Gig internet to homes and businesses in the region through a $1.6 billion public-private partnership.
The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the crisis in rural internet access.
The EORN Gig Project aims to fix the issue with an internet speed of 1 gigabit per second that a spokesperson says, would provide seamless, reliable connectivity to support and meet growing demand over the long run. It also supports real-time data sharing needed for smart technologies.
EORN would seek to fund the project through a combination of funding from the federal and provincial governments, loans from the Canada Infrastructure Bank and the private sector.