Northerners will soon be able to make more phone calls

Ministry of Northern Development and Mines
News Release

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Timmins – The McGuinty government is helping bring business and education opportunities to more northerners by investing in a major expansion of high-speed Internet service and cellular coverage in underserviced areas of northeastern Ontario, Northern Development and Mines Minister Rick Bartolucci announced today.

“Our government is committed to strengthening the northern economy,” said Bartolucci. “Expanding broadband and cellular services in the North is an important part of this work, and is a priority for the McGuinty government.”

The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) is investing $4,703,300 in two projects being coordinated by the Northeastern Ontario Communications Network (NEOnet) based in Timmins:

• an investment of $2,108,000 will expand high-speed Internet service to 16 communities in the Timiskaming District and Gogama-Foleyet area. Currently, residents in these communities have access to dial up Internet service only
• an investment of $2,595,300 will expand cellular coverage along the Highway 11 corridor from Temagami northwest to Calstock, and along Highway 144 from Sudbury north to Timmins.

“I am pleased that our government is supporting these projects to give northerners access to communications services often taken for granted in more urban areas,” said Bartolucci, who is also chair of the NOHFC. “Earlier this year we made changes to NOHFC programs to encourage investment in telecommunications infrastructure projects that could bring broadband Internet and cellular service to most of the North within three years.”

This is just one more example of how, working together, Ontarians have achieved results in community development. Other examples include:

• Providing $1 million to the Blue Sky Economic Growth Corporation to establish wireless, open-access broadband service in the Nipissing region
• Previously providing $1,060,000 to NEOnet to establish broadband Internet service in 22 communities to stimulate telehealth, distance education, e-commerce and other new services.

These initiatives are part of the government’s Northern Prosperity Plan. It has four pillars: Strengthening the North and its Communities; Listening to and Serving Northerners Better; Competing Globally; and Providing Opportunities for All.

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