Abandoned high speed internet project in eastern Ontario
The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (OREO) was based on a $400 million investment, funded equally between the Ontario government and the federal government, for Project Gig, which was intended to provide 1 gigabit download speed to 95% of Eastern Ontario’s population.
But as I mentioned Brockville and The Times Recorder, actors RREO Last week, regional officials reported that they would not receive public funds.
Instead, the province and the federal government have decided to announce a partnership for a $1.2 billion project to provide high-speed internet to 280,000 rural families in Ontario.
I’m always happy to see millions, hundreds of millions, or billions in these initiatives, but the devil is in the details. […] Before I salute the initiative, I would like to see exactly where this coverage will improve and where it does not.
, announced Brent DevoleneMayor of Canton all the hills, In Ontario, Vice President RREO.
The mayor of La Nation, François Saint-Amour, is concerned.
Companies operate for profit. They will go where they are sure to make money, while [projet de RREO] You will go where needed. And this is not the most profitable place for large companies. Maybe I’m too worried, but…we hope they look at our country town.
‘The pandemic has changed everything’
Many rural residents are urging governments to act to reduce Internet inequality between urban and rural Ontario. The rift between the two realities has become more apparent with the shift to remote work and home learning, imposed by the COVID-19 coronavirus.
The pandemic has changed everything
, Notice Nancy Pickford, mayor north Greenville, Ontario. The needs of rural people in eastern Ontario are equal to those of urban areas
, she adds.
mayor north Grenfell has indicated that she will monitor the situation closely and ensure that the announced regional federal funding translates into better communication for residents of her community.
the RREO He also intends to follow up on the progress of the case.
Pierre Leroux, Mayor of Russell Township and Member of the Teachers Board.
Photo: Radio Canada
Project Gig was originally an Eastern Ontario-designed solution for Eastern Ontario. But at this point I think the role RREO It will ensure that residents of Eastern Ontario are well served
Pierre Leroux, Mayor of Russell Township and Board Member, said: RREO.
Inappropriate system
The mayor of La Nation says he saw again Tuesday morning, during a Zoom meeting, just how flawed the current system is.
We had a Zoom meeting with the board, and we couldn’t use the camera…the system is inadequate, lacks capacity
, He says.
The internet we have here, we can say is old. […] I can’t do anything, I don’t move with automation […] Because I don’t have high speed.
Stéphane Seguin, owner of Reynald Seguin Electric, in Fournier, sends a letter to governments.
We forgot, the fonts are rotten! I call 2-3 times a month because I don’t have a phone that works fine and therefore no internet either, because it goes through the lines. Someone must wake up!
Stéphane Séguin, owner of Reynald Seguin Electric, in Fournier, Eastern Ontario
Photo: Radio Canada/Frederic Pepin
He says the current situation is punishing his business as well as Eastern Ontario farmers.
Now almost all farmers are automated, that means they are robots, everything is done online, it is a computer that controls everything. Usually with high speed I can log into their system remotely from my computer and help them solve problems.
, he explains. If someone calls me from Moss CreekUpon my arrival, the customer loses an hour. […] I can fix this in five minutes from the office. Customer can save money and time. But there I can not […] And I lose money, a lot of money…
With information from Ben Andrews and Frederic Pepin
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