Governments Increasing Access to High-Speed Internet Service in Pelham

April 21, 2023

Fenwick – The governments of Canada and Ontario are investing more than $1.6 million to bring reliable high-speed Internet to 677 families, farms and businesses in the Town of Pelham.

“We know reliable Internet access is a gateway to growth in rural Ontario,” said Sam Oosterhoff, MPP for Niagara West, who joined Marvin Junkin, Mayor of the Town of Pelham, along with Ward 1 Councillors, Kevin Ker and Wayne Olson, and Pelham CAO, David Cribbs, at O’Reilly’s Bridge in Fenwick to formally announce the project.

“This new expansion of rural broadband in the Town of Pelham will connect more families and businesses to high-speed Internet. I know constituents in Niagara West will gladly welcome this new SWIFT project.”

“Providing reliable Internet access is especially important for rural communities to prosper in our increasingly digital world,” said Vance Badawey, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Indigenous Services and Member of Parliament for Niagara Centre.

“This investment by both levels of government will ensure families, businesses, and farms in rural Niagara can connect to essential online services and enjoy the additional economic opportunities made available through high-speed Internet.”

“As the local Member of Parliament, I have been advocating for federal support for the expansion of rural broadband for underserved areas in Niagara,” said Dean Allison, MP for Niagara West.

“Reliable high-speed Internet is key to a prosperous future for local farm operations and rural business in Fenwick.”

“I am very pleased that this project has been completed and has accomplished exactly what SWIFT was designed to do – bring high speed Internet connectivity to under serviced areas in Southwestern Ontario,” said local regional councillor, Rob Foster, Treasurer of the Board for SWIFT.

“This has been a great start to connecting farms, small businesses and rural residents to reliable technology that is required today, and I look forward to the next set of programs as we ensure all Niagara residents have access to broadband.”

“High speed Internet isn’t just a quality-of-life issue for families in rural areas,” said Marvin Junkin, Mayor of the Town of Pelham.

“Pelham has many sophisticated rural businesses which need to be connected to the world for sales and productivity purposes. It is very encouraging to see this work being done that will help to create the conditions for Pelham residents and businesses to thrive.”

“I applaud the investments by the federal and provincial governments in broadband in Pelham,” said local regional councillor, Diana Huson.

“These areas have been underserved at a time when Internet connectivity has never been more important. While the benefits to agriculture and economic output are critical, this investment also means better access to online services and social connectivity that Pelham families have been asking for.”

The federal and provincial governments have partnered with Southwest Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) and are proud to announce that residents in the communities of Chantler, Becketts Bridge, O’Reilly’s Bridge and Feeder in Fenwick, now have broadband infrastructure to enable access to high-speed Internet service.

“Our government continues to deliver on its commitment to expand access to high-speed Internet to communities across the province,” said Hon. Lisa Thompson, Minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs.

“By building new broadband infrastructure in Niagara, we are helping to build Ontario and strengthen rural communities. This investment is helping people stay in touch with loved ones, enabling them to access the supports they need while providing a much-needed boost to the local economy.”

This announcement marks the completion of one more project under SWIFT and builds on the Ontario government’s plan to get the right infrastructure in the right places, ensuring people can live, work and farm where they want.

The contracts to expand broadband services in Niagara County were awarded by SWIFT, a not-for-profit corporation, initiated by local municipalities to address connectivity in Southwestern Ontario.

More than $255 million has been invested by the governments of Canada and Ontario and the private sector to bring high-speed internet access to more than 63,000 homes and businesses in Southwestern Ontario through SWIFT by the end of 2023.