For Immediate Release
August 23, 2007

MCGUINTY GOVERNMENT PUTTING RURAL ONTARIO IN THE FAST LANE

Provides Funding To 18 Southern Municipalities For Broadband Access

QUEEN'S PARK - Residents and businesses of 18 rural municipalities in southern Ontario will soon have access to high-speed Internet services thanks to funding from the McGuinty government.

"The Ontario government supports rural municipalities and recognizes that broadband access in these communities is vital to the prosperity of their economies," said Leona Dombrowsky, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. "By investing $10 million in Rural Connections, the Ontario government is investing in the future of rural Ontario."

Rural Connections …The Ontario Municipal Rural Broadband Partnership Program is a one-time, $10-million initiative. Following an application and review process, 18 municipalities that are ready to implement and sustain broadband capability in their communities will receive funding to help with infrastructure and implementation costs. The program is a joint effort between the ministries of Agriculture, Food, and Rural Affairs, Government Services, and Small Business and Entrepreneurship.

"This funding will allow municipalities to provide broadband access to their residents and businesses which will benefit the entire community," said Gerry Phillips, Minister of Government Services.

The Ontario government is funding up to one-third of the eligible costs of qualifying broadband projects to a maximum of $1 million. The remainder of the funding will come from the municipalities and their project partners.

"The Rural Connections initiative will see these municipalities and their project partners work together to ensure that small and medium-sized businesses in their communities will have access to broadband technology," said Harinder Takhar, Minister of Small Business and Entrepreneurship. "Broadband capability will allow rural businesses to grow and compete in markets across the country and around the world."

"We are very pleased that 18 rural municipalities will be receiving funding to implement broadband capability in their communities," said Doug Reycraft, President of the Association of Municipalities of Ontario. "Provincial funding for broadband is an important investment that helps provide rural citizens and businesses the opportunity to thrive and prosper in their communities."

This is just one more example of how, working together, Ontarians have achieved results in rural Ontario. Other examples include:

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Contacts:
Kelly Synnott
Minister's Office
(416) 326-6439

Brent Ross
Communications Branch
416-326-9342

Backgrounder

RURAL CONNECTIONS…THE ONTARIO MUNICIPAL RURAL BROADBAND PARTNERSHIP PROGRAM

Rural Connections …The Ontario Municipal Rural Broadband Partnership Program is a one-time, $10 million initiative designed to reduce broadband infrastructure gaps in Ontario.

On June 6, 2007, the Ontario government announced that it was accepting applications from municipalities in rural Ontario for the Rural Connections initiative. Thirty municipalities from rural Ontario applied to the program by the July 13, 2007 deadline, and 18 were approved for funding.

These municipalities are:

The majority of the funds, $8.5 million, will go directly to infrastructure costs, while the balance of the funds, $1.5 million, will be allocated to communities for outreach to promote uptake and use of the new infrastructure by residents, businesses and the community at large.

Each municipality will receive funding from the Ontario government for up to one third of eligible, approved project costs to a maximum of $1 million. Municipalities, telecommunications providers, and other private partners will contribute the balance of the project costs. These municipalities will work in partnership with community stakeholders and other partners to develop and implement a plan that is designed to reduce broadband gaps.

These municipalities will now develop detailed business and technical plans, including selecting a telecommunications service provider through a tendering process. The Ontario government will assist successful municipalities in preparing their business and technical plans.

Objectives and Priorities

For more information, visit www.ontario.ca/rural or call 1-888-588-4111.

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Contacts:
Kelly Synnott
Minister's Office
416-326-6439

Brent Ross
Communications Branch
416-326-9342