Ontario Expands Access to High-Speed Internet in Brighton

Ontario Expands Access to High-Speed Internet in Brighton

Innovative pilot project will help connect 1,450 homes and businesses

March 25, 2022

Infrastructure

Energy

BRIGHTON — The Ontario government is working with Hydro One to launch a pilot project that will help bring high-speed internet access to as many as 1,450 homes and businesses in the municipality of Brighton. This project is part of Ontario’s comprehensive plan to bring reliable high-speed internet access to every community across the province by the end of 2025.

“Our government is finding new and innovative ways to bring access to high-speed internet to every home and business in the province, and this pilot project in Brighton is another example of how we will achieve our goal of 100 per cent connectivity by the end of 2025,” said Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure. “By leveraging existing infrastructure and removing barriers to high-speed internet expansion, more Ontarians will be able to access better and faster internet services sooner.”

The pilot project will allow Hydro One to use their existing infrastructure, such as hydro poles, to fast-track the development of high-speed internet networks in Brighton, saving time and money.

“All communities deserve access to reliable and high-speed internet access,” said Todd Smith, Minister of Energy. “By working with partners like Hydro One to use existing electricity infrastructure to rapidly expand high-speed internet to as many as 1,450 homes and businesses in Brighton, we are accelerating our work to connect all communities by 2025.”

The government has a plan to build Ontario’s future with shovels in the ground for highways, hospitals, housing and high-speed internet infrastructure. Ontario’s high-speed internet initiatives will help ensure that every home and business, in every community, can participate in today’s economy. It will also help create the conditions for economic and fiscal growth, while protecting the progress we’ve made.

Quick Facts

  • The Brighton pilot project will be evaluated as part of the government’s goal to reach 100 per cent access to connectivity by the end of 2025. If successful, this could allow for the exploration of high-speed internet initiatives in other rural communities that are similar to Brighton.
  • In 2021, Ontario announced projects in regions across the province, including six projects that will serve Northern Ontario and 17 Improving Connectivity for Ontario (ICON) projects led exclusively by the Province. Ontario is also co-funding more than $1.2 billion with the Government of Canada to support fibre-based projects through ICON and the Universal Broadband Fund.
  • Another part of Ontario’s plan to achieve 100 per cent connectivity is a new competitive process, led by Infrastructure Ontario, and is currently underway to help connect more homes and businesses in unserved and underserved communities.
  • In 2021, Ontario passed the Supporting Broadband and Infrastructure Expansion Act, 2021 to help speed up construction of broadband projects. To build on this legislation, the Ontario government introduced the Getting Ontario Connected Act, 2022. The proposed changes would remove barriers, duplication, and delays, making it easier and faster to build high-speed internet infrastructure across the province.
  • The Province has invested in initiatives to improve connectivity across Eastern and Southwestern Ontario. It has also invested in high-speed internet projects in rural and Northern Ontario, such as through the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation and the Next Generation Network Program.
  • Expanding access to high-speed internet 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.

Quotes

“It is important for Ontarians to have access to reliable internet services. This announcement today shows our government’s commitment to bringing high-speed internet access to our community, while using innovative ways to get this done more quickly.”

– David Piccini
MPP for Northumberland—Peterborough South and Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks

“Access to high-speed internet throughout rural Ontario remains a priority for our government and we continue to deliver on that commitment. New connections like those through the pilot program will help families and farmers stay in touch, help people access supports they need, while providing a much-needed boost to the local economy. It’s the type of critical infrastructure that benefits the entire community.”

– Lisa Thompson
Minister of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs

“As Brighton grows, the need for our citizens to access high-speed, reliable internet services grows too. Over the past two years we’ve seen people migrate out of the larger urban areas with the anticipation that they will be able to work from home. With this announcement, Hydro One’s pilot project, will make that vision a reality and will enhance our ability to drive Brighton’s local economy forward. We are grateful to our provincial and utility partners in helping make Brighton a hub for reliable high-speed internet services!”

– Brian Ostrander
Mayor of Brighton

“At Hydro One, we continue to embrace innovative solutions to energize life for our customers. The past two years have underscored how important internet connectivity is to economic productivity and ability to access work, education, health and other critical services. Hydro One was first created to build power lines to bring electricity to rural and northern Ontario, and we’re proud to use the reach of our network to facilitate and enable broadband in the Brighton area.”

– David Lebeter
Chief Operating Officer, Hydro One

“Infrastructure Ontario is pleased to have worked with the province and Hydro One to make this pilot project a reality. By utilizing this opportunity to use already existing infrastructure, we are able to expand access to high-speed internet for up to 1,450 homes and businesses in Brighton. We look forward to building upon lessons learned during this pilot process in our ongoing work to help the Province achieve its commitment to ensure all Ontarians have connectivity to reliable high-speed internet access by the end of 2025.”

– Michael Lindsay
President and CEO, Infrastructure Ontario