The KLCOA Connectivity Committee has recently reformed to continue advocacy work with EORN and other stakeholders as things are starting to ramp up and move forward. Board members Arlene Burch and Joan Middleton along with past board members Tayce Wakefield and Tony Lepine have prepared information, updates and requests for action from members below.
Please Write Your
Government Reps to Urge Them to Support Better Connectivity
Haliburton County Mayors, including Dysart Mayor Andrea Roberts, recently wrote
to federal Rural Economic Development Minister Maryam Monsef (see letter here) to urge her to support EORN’s (Eastern Ontario Regional Network)
proposed $1.2 billion Gigabyte Project.
This project requires funding from the federal and Ontario Governments, a loan
from the Canada Infrastructure Bank and investments by Technology Service
Providers in a new fixed broadband project that would be capable of delivering
connectivity speeds of up to 1 Gbps (gigabyte per second) to up to 95% of the
more than 500,000 homes and seasonal dwellings and businesses across the
region, including Kennisis Lake. (See attached for more information on this project
and what EORN is doing to enhance connectivity).
As governments are considering stimulus funding to address the economic
challenges caused by the pandemic, this is an important – perhaps once in a
generation – opportunity to provide Haliburton County with the connectivity
required for economic growth and to connect people in the region with
government programs and services, health, education, training, information and
entertainment provided on-line.
We need to encourage our Members of Parliament and Provincial Parliament to
support this initiative – please write to them to ask them to support the Gig
Project. (You can use this template as a starting point). (If your home riding is not Haliburton-Kawartha
Lakes-Brock, we encourage you to contact your home MP & MPP on this because
we need all representatives to understand how important this issue is to us and
to support it. The markets are working well to provide enhanced
connectivity in urban areas, so urban MP’s & MPP’s may not understand how
urgent it is that government step in to help in rural areas such as
Haliburton.)
Check here for more information on the debate
over ‘Which Technology is Best?’
We Need Your Input to Help
EORN Advocate for Better Connectivity
The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (an initiative of the Eastern Ontario
Wardens’ Caucus to improve rural connectivity, support economic growth &
enhance quality of life for 500,000 residences, seasonal dwellings and
businesses in rural eastern Ontario) has asked us to help them with their
advocacy materials. (More information about EORN here)
Please respond to KennisisConnectivity@yahoo.com with your answer to the following:
If I had better connectivity at Kennisis Lake, I
could …..
Examples that we’ve already received include:
…Work from Kennisis in my capacity as Senior Project Administrator for a
global technology consulting company.
…Run a charity (I’m the Secretary-Treasurer) from Kennisis.
…Participate in summer school from the lake rather than having to stay in the
city to be able to access my course on-line.
Please give us your response to KennisisConnectivity@yahoo.com by Wed. July 29. (We will assume that by responding, you agree to allow us
to share your answer with EORN).UPDATE!!!
Haliburton Council to Apply for Ontario Funding for A County Broadband
Initiative
On Wednesday, July 22, Haliburton County Council voted to make application for
provincial funding for a County 50/10 (50 Mbps download/10 Mbps upload) project
by the deadline of August 21st and to also make a similar County application
for federal funding when the anticipated federal funding initiative is
announced. (In June, Ontario Infrastructure Minister and
Haliburton-Kawartha Lakes-Brock MPP Laurie Scott announced a $150 million
program called “Improving Connectivity in Ontario” (ICON) to fund
broadband projects which will fund up to 25% of the project cost.)
Haliburton County has decided to retain a single source consultant to shape up
its application – as yet, not many details are available. There are
apparently 2 telecom providers who might be interested in partnering with the
County in the application. The estimated cost to the County is in the $25-30
million range.
Because the ICON funding is limited, EORN has decided not to apply for funding
under that initiative but to continue to pursue the GIG project.
Haliburton County continues to be supportive of the GIG project as
well. For
Kennisis, this means that there are several initiatives underway with the
potential to significantly enhance our connectivity