A priority of bringing faster Internet to rural areas could benefit local townships as part of the federal and provincial governments' joint $6.2-billion funding announcement last week.
The two levels of government finally shook hands on Ontario's portion of the national Building Canada plan that will invest $33 billion in long-term funding for infrastructure across the country.
With equal funding from both the province and the federal government, the $6.2 billion will be distributed in two ways; $2.73 billion will go toward larger-scale projects such as improvements to highways 11 and 17, Waterloo Region rapid transit and the expansion of broadband Internet coverage to rural areas in southern and eastern Ontario. The remaining $362 million will be reserved for projects in communities with populations of less than 100,000.
Simcoe North MP Bruce Stanton said the commitment to broadband Internet could be good news for areas like Ramara, Severn, Tiny and Tay that have limited access to high speed.
"We've had a lot of mail on that and there's a lot of interest in that," said Stanton. "I'm still amazed at the number of people who are still on dial-up."
For people with home-based businesses and those who are heavy Internet users, Stanton said moving to broadband would be beneficial.
"Certainly it's geared for rural areas," he said. "I'll be fighting hard to make sure that especially Tiny, Tay, Ramara and Severn are included in that."
Expanded Internet service is something of great interest to Ramara Township which is already hoping to tap into funding through a separate provincial program geared at expanding broadband Internet access in rural communities.
"The county is behind it (broadband Internet) and the people want it and if there's a way the township can make that happen we're going to pursue it," said Mayor Bill Duffy.
Duffy wasn't as clear on the benefits of the newly ratified deal.
"It's not new money. It's newfound money," he said, noting some of the commitments set out in the deal had already been promised to municipalities.
Severn Mayor Phil Sled, who hopes the ratification of the Building Canada program will mean some guaranteed year-to-year funding for municipalities, wasn't surprised at the announcement.
"It's nothing new. It's been in the making for several years," he said.
He said broadband Internet access doesn't seem to be as much of a pressing issue in Severn. He thinks it's something the county will take the lead role on.
Oro-Medonte Mayor Harry Hughes said his municipality has looked at broadband coverage for the township when other funding has become available, but it has always come at too high a cost.
He's looking at last week's announcement as a potential source of funding for infrastructure upgrades and expansion of the Lake Simcoe Regional Airport.
"We were well aware that the funding package was coming forward," said Hughes. "I believe the airport request -- with the number of jobs it would create -- that that certainly should fit the bill."
He said Oro-Medonte, Barrie and Orillia have already committed to the project as well. That is a key element as Stanton said projects will be based on partnerships with all three levels of government.
Laurel Ostfield, press secretary at the Office of the Minister of Energy and Infrastructure, said the funding framework and administration hasn't been established yet but will likely also include input from both the federal and provincial governments.
---
Autor(en)/Author(s): Courtney Whalen
Quelle/Source: The Packet & Times, 30.07.2008
