High Speed Internet is now Available in most of Huron County
by Bob Montgomery
Huron County Economic Development Officer Natasha Gaudio Harrison brought Huron County councillors up to date on the installation of fibre optic cable in Huron County.
Gaudio Harrison says up to 2.8 million dollars was contributed to the SWIFT Plus program in 2021 towards a series of broadband projects. And as a result of that investment ten contracts were awarded to local internet service providers HuronTel, Tuckersmith Communications, Hay, and Whitman. And Gaudio Harrison reported, as of June of this year all SWIFT projects in Huron County have been completed. She says most areas of Huron County now have good connectivity with the exception of some parts of Howick Township.
Gaudio Harrison credits local providers for getting the cable in the ground and now residents are encouraged to call their local providers to get hooked up. She says collectively the newly installed fibre-optic networks are now providing 480 previously underserved homes and businesses in the communities of Marnoch, Hutton Heights and rural areas surrounding Benmiller and Blue Water Beach with access to high-speed internet service.
In addition, Tuckersmith Communications has successfully completed the construction of a 62-kilomtre fibre-optic network within the Municipality of Central Huron. The newly established infrastructure is now providing 240 homes and businesses in the community of Porter’s Hill with access to high-speed internet. And in addition to SWIFT projects, the Universal Broadband Fund is also improving broadband access in Huron County. Those projects are funded by Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada and Infrastructure Ontario in partnership with HuronTel and they're projected to be completed and fully installed by 2026.
