Canada and Ontario Increasing Access to High-Speed Internet Service in Lambton County

More than 2,000 families, farms and businesses benefitting from access to high-speed internet

January 06, 2023

Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs


Table of Contents

  1. Content
  2. Quick Facts
  3. Additional Resources

LAMBTON COUNTY – The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing more than $2.3 million to bring fast, reliable high-speed internet to more than 2,000 families, farms and businesses in Lambton County.

“Providing reliable internet access is especially important for rural communities to prosper in our increasingly digital world,” said Irek Kusmierczyk, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion and Member of Parliament for Windsor—Tecumseh, on behalf of the Honourable Dominic LeBlanc, Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Infrastructure and Communities. “Today’s announcement will ensure that thousands of homes, businesses, and farms in Lambton County can connect to essential online services and enjoy the additional economic opportunities made available through high-speed internet.”

In partnership with Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) Inc, the completion of construction of broadband infrastructure in the county is now providing access to fast, reliable high-speed internet service to families, farms and businesses in the communities of Baby Point, Port Lambton, Sombra, Wilkesport, Avonry, Mooretown and Brigden.

“Our government continues to deliver on our commitment to expand access to high-speed internet in rural communities across the province,” said Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “Building new broadband infrastructure in Lambton County is helping to build rural Ontario and strengthen communities by helping people stay connected with loved ones and enable them to access supports they need. This critical infrastructure will have lasting benefits for our entire community.”

“With more reasons to go online than ever before, the need for fast, reliable broadband service in rural Lambton County is critical,” said Sarnia-Lambton MPP Bob Bailey. “The completion of this project is great news for the over 2,000 families who can now take advantage of modern, reliable internet service in their homes and at their businesses.”

The contracts to expand broadband services in Lambton County were awarded by Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) Inc, a not-for-profit corporation initiated by local municipalities to address connectivity in Southwestern Ontario.

“With the support of the federal and provincial governments, SWIFT is making strong progress in the expansion of broadband infrastructure across Southwestern Ontario,” said Gary McNamara, SWIFT Board Chair. “Today’s announcement builds on our program’s commitment to drive greater connectivity throughout the region as we are pleased to mark construction complete on a high-speed fibre-optic network in Lambton County that will provide more than 2,000 additional homes and businesses with access to high-speed internet connectivity.”

More than $255 million has been invested by the governments of Canada and Ontario and the private sector to bring high-speed internet to more than 63,000 households and businesses in Southwestern Ontario through SWIFT by the end of 2025.


Quick Facts

  • The governments of Canada and Ontario are each contributing more than $63 million to SWIFT through the New Building Canada Fund’s Provincial-Territorial Infrastructure Component – Small Communities Fund.
  • On July 29, 2021, a Canada-Ontario broadband partnership was announced. This agreement will bring high-speed internet access to more than 280,000 households across Ontario through a total investment of more than $1.2 billion, co-funded equally by both levels of government.
  • The Ontario Government is investing nearly $4 billion to bring high-speed internet access to every corner of the province by the end of 2025. This proactive approach is the largest single investment in high-speed internet, in any province, by any government in Canadian history.
  • In 2021, Ontario passed the Supporting Broadband and Infrastructure Expansion Act, 2021 to help speed up construction of broadband projects. Ontario is also helping to remove barriers, duplication and delays, making it easier and faster to build high-speed internet infrastructure through the Getting Ontario Connected Act, 2022, which was passed unanimously by the Legislature on April 11, 2022. This legislation helps ensure underserved and unserved communities across the province have access to reliable high-speed internet sooner and will help the government achieve its commitment to connect every region with access to high-speed internet by the end of 2025.
  • Expanding access to broadband and cellular service is part of Ontario Onwards: Ontario’s COVID-19 Action Plan for a People-Focused Government, which includes more than 30 projects that are changing the way people and businesses interact with government.
  • High-speed internet puts ServiceOntario at your fingertips. It gives people access to more than 40 Ontario government services to make it easier and faster to get things done without having to leave home. Visit Ontario.ca/Renew to renew your driver’s licence, health card and licence plate when it’s convenient for you. If you can’t access our services online, you can book an appointment at many locations at Ontario.ca/Appointment.
  • You can now sign up for digital reminders by email, text or phone call to renew your documents so there’s no need to keep track of paper renewal forms. Go online at Ontario.ca/Reminders to sign up now or call ServiceOntario at 1-800-387-3445 (TTY 1-800-268-7095).

Additional Resources

Ontario Connects: Making High-speed Internet Accessible in Every Community

Ontario Builds: our infrastructure plan

High-Speed Access for All: Canada’s Connectivity Strategy