MP Gallant Commits to Find Broadband for Unserved Areas of Renfrew County

June 16, 2008

Pembroke, Ontario - Cheryl Gallant, MP (Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke) remains committed to providing high-speed internet (broadband) to the unserved areas of Renfrew County. “The federal Broadband Gap Analysis for Eastern Ontario identified the largest gap in Renfrew County. I believe we should pursue every opportunity to fill that gap,” stated MP Gallant.

“It is critical to the future of Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke for economic and social development that we provide broadband, (high-speed internet), as a tool for economic growth. I shared the disappointment of the many residents who contacted me regarding the need for high-speed internet and the failure of Renfrew County to receive any Provincial government funding in last year’s funding program. In anticipation of an imminent funding announcement from the Provincial government this year, the Eastern Ontario Warden’s Caucus has asked for my support to obtain Federal funding from the 33 Billion dollar “Building Canada” Fund our government announced earlier.

“While I would have preferred to support a regional application that includes Renfrew County, the reason we were not successful last time was because County staff were not prepared to commit to matching the financial commitment of the other levels of government. If, after receiving provincial funding County staff chose to back out of the program due to financial reasons, there was nothing to prevent it from doing so. Municipalities, including other County governments who put no such caveat on their application were successful last time.”

“I encourage those municipalities that are interested in providing high-speed internet for their residents to step forward now. There is an opportunity for some creative partnerships to avoid direct costs to municipal ratepayers. In the area of Renfrew County that is currently being asked to consider the construction of windmills for power generation, the top of these structures would be a suitably high location for wireless internet as well as cell phone communications. The in-kind contribution of this location could be considered the municipal contribution,” observed Cheryl Gallant, MP. “This is but one example of the type of creative thinking necessary to fill the broadband gap in Eastern Ontario.”

“It was for items like high-speed internet and the twinning of Highway 17, that I requested municipalities to apply pressure on the Provincial government by passing motions asking the Province to co-operate with the Federal Government to provide the services residents of this County are asking for.