Access to high-speed Internet important for rural Ontario
NEWS RELEASE
Ted Arnott, MPP
Wellington-Halton Hills
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 8, 2016
Access to high-speed Internet important for rural Ontario
(Queen’s Park) – Wellington-Halton Hills MPP Ted Arnott is continuing to push the Government to follow through on its promise of expanded access to high-speed Internet for rural Ontario.
“”During my canvass of Wellington-Halton Hills in the 2014 General Election, I met thousands of people. I sought to answer their questions, listen to their concerns, and encourage their
aspirations,” Mr. Arnott told MPPs in a statement in the Ontario Legislature on December 7.
“One thing I heard is that many of my constituents do not have access to affordable, high-speed Internet. We know that in today’s economy, connectivity is an absolute necessity for
households, farms and businesses.”
Mr. Arnott took action immediately following the election. In July 2014, at the very first
opportunity, Mr. Arnott tabled a Private Member’s Resolution calling on the Government to work with the Federal Government and the Western Wardens’ Caucus to develop a strategy to
ensure that all Ontarians would have access to affordable, reliable high-speed Internet.
Two years later the Government did just that.
“Exactly 24 months passed. Then, this past July, the Government announced a commitment to
doing precisely what we had urged them to do: setting aside $90 million, with an equal Federal
Government contribution, to support the Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology Project,
known as SWIFT,” Mr. Arnott noted.
While Mr. Arnott was pleased by the announcement, he noted that the Government has still yet
to release a list of exactly which communities will benefit from the investment or provide a
timeline as to when the project will be completed.
He urged the Government to keep up the momentum.
“I want to express my thanks to everyone involved with implementing this proposal, but let’s
keep it moving. The County of Wellington and the Town of Halton Hills are very enthusiastic
about expanding access to affordable, reliable, high-speed Internet. Let’s get behind our local
communities, and let’s build a fibre network throughout rural Ontario that gives every Ontarian access to high-speed, affordable, reliable Internet service and all the benefits that technology
entails.”
– 30 –
Ted Arnott, MPP
Phone: 416-325-3880
Email: ted.arnott@pc.ola.org