High-Speed Internet Coming To Oxford County

McGuinty Government Partners On Local Infrastructure Project

Ontario is helping Oxford County bring high-speed Internet to residents and businesses.

The county is one of 14 Ontario municipalities moving forward with plans to build local broadband infrastructure in partnership with the provincial government. The province is providing Oxford County with $988,333 for this project, through the Rural Connections Broadband Program.

The county plans to partner with an Internet Service Provider to build the infrastructure and contribute to the project.

The province's Rural Connections Broadband Program helps rural municipalities build high-speed Internet projects in their communities. The program's goal is to bring broadband access to rural and remote areas currently underserved in southern Ontario.

QUOTES

"Since 2007, we have been filling in the broadband gaps in rural Ontario and turning miles into milliseconds. I am delighted that Oxford County is part of this strategic move. Broadband Internet connects rural families and businesses with opportunities in commerce, health, education and community enrichment."
- Leona Dombrowsky, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs

"This is a giant leap forward for the people of Oxford County. We have worked diligently to come up with an infrastructure strategy that will provide broadband connectivity to most of our residents and advance our county. The program is intended to have a positive impact on families in rural Ontario by leveraging broadband infrastructure investment from private-sector businesses and public partners."
- Warden Paul Holbrough

QUICK FACTS

• Today's announcement of 14 new, rural broadband projects brings the total to 47 in less than two years.
• Oxford County collaborated on this proposal with all of its area municipalities and identified the Town of Ingersoll and the Townships of Blandford-Blenheim, East Zorra-Tavistock, Norwich, South-West Oxford and Zorra for high-speed broadband service.
• Broadband connectivity delivers more Internet information at speeds far greater than dial-up service.
• In the fall of 2007, 18 projects marked the first wave of broadband infrastructure projects undertaken jointly by rural municipalities and the province. In November 2008, 15 new projects were launched.

LEARN MORE

About the Rural Connections Broadband Program

For more information, contact:

Sherry Persaud, Minister's Office, 416-326-6439
Brent Ross, Communications Branch, 416-326-9342

For information about the Oxford County project:
John Moore, Manager of Information Systems
jmoore@oxfordcounty.ca 519-539-9800 ext. 3160