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Construction underway for major broadband project in Dufferin

August 13, 2021   ·   0 Comments

More residents living in rural Dufferin County will soon be connected to better high-speed internet, as construction begins for a major broadband infrastructure project. 

Officials from the federal, provincial, and municipal levels of government announced the start of construction for a broadband expansion, in East Garafraxa last Friday (Aug.6). 

The expansion project comes after both the federal and provincial government committed more the $470,000 to fund broadband projects, led by Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT), in the communities of Garafraxa Woods as well as Marsville, Orton, Prices Corner and Craigsholme. 

 “This is a wonderful announcement, but this is an announcement that’s been a long time coming,” said Sylvia Jones, MPP Dufferin-Caledon. “The advocacy that has been happening literally for years, is finally coming to fruition, here in East Garafraxa, Dufferin County, and in Caledon. 

According to a press release from the Ontario government, the expansion project in the community will connect more the 250 homes and business to fast and reliable internet service. 

East Garafraxa Mayor Guy Gardhouse said the demand for better internet has been township-wide, and adds that the construction is the first step – servicing the most amount of people in the smallest amount of distance. 

“For this community it enhances our businesses and our personal life. It gives them versatility to work from home more often, and be able to connect at the level they need to do that kind of work,” said Gardhouse. “Certainly our businesses have been struggling with the internet that has made it challenging when the speeds were slower to upload and download projects. Now, once we have this rolled out, it will make them more competitive.” 

In 2020, it was announced that SWIFT had awarded contracts to support four broadband projects in Dufferin County, totalling $10.4 million and delivering high-speed internet to more than 1,660 homes and businesses. Funding supported infrastructure developments not only in East Garafraxa, but also Mulmur, Amaranth and Melanchthon 

SWIFT is a regional broadband expansion project initiated by the Western Ontario Wardens’ Caucus, which Dufferin County Warden Darren White sits as vice chair, and committed to improving access to high-speed internet services. 

Warden White said living in rural Melanchthon he’s had to use three different internet service to have a stable connection to run virtual meetings, which he says is “ridiculous”. 

“The demand is in every single household, every single business, every single government office, and hospital across southern Ontario. What we’ve learned over the last 18 months is we cannot do without it, and it needs to be treated more like a utility than as an afterthought,” said White. 

“Today is a great day in Dufferin County. The work is not done by any stretch of the imagination, the four projects are a great step but they’re only a step in a much bigger plan and much bigger need,” said White. 

In addition to the construction in Dufferin County, a broadband expansion is also underway in Caledon, which will connect more than 840 homes and businesses. 

Construction is expected to be completed by March 2022. 

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