Hopefully, in December, residents and business owners in Marentette Beach in Leamington will have access to high-speed internet.
The federal and provincial governments are each investing more than $392,000 in a project underway in partnership with Southwest Integrated Fibre Technology, or SWIFT.
When it's done, the project will provide much-needed access for 480 homes, farms, and businesses.
"Reliable broadband infrastructure is a necessity for Canadian families and businesses in this increasingly connected world," said Windsor-Tecumseh MP and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Employment, Workforce Development and Disability Inclusion Irek Kusmierczyk. "The start of construction on new fibre technology and additional network infrastructure in Essex County gets us one step closer to connecting all Canadians to high-speed internet by 2030."
The goal in Southwestern Ontario is to connect more than 63,000 households and businesses by the end of 2025. That part of the overall objective will cost Ontario and Ottawa $255-million.
So far, Ontario has committed nearly $4-billion to connect the entire province by 2025. Last year, it passed the Supporting Broadband and Infrastructure Expansion Act to help speed up construction. This year's Getting Ontario Connected Act helps ensure underserved communities, like Marentette Beach, have access to reliable high-speed internet.
