Overview

The Improving Connectivity for Ontario program will help improve broadband and cellular coverage in underserved and unserved communities.

We’re inviting telecom companies, municipal governments, Indigenous communities and non-profits to submit innovative proposals to lend their investment, expertise and experience to improve connectivity in communities across Ontario.

You can learn more about ICON or submit your project proposal online through Transfer Payment Ontario.

Improving Connectivity for Ontario map

Use this map to help with your ICON application. Get project details including:

  • infrastructure information
  • geographical information
  • broadband service areas

Find detailed instructions on how to use the map below.

How to use the map

Follow the instructions below to use the map and get the information you need for your ICON application.

Drawing tools

Use the drawing tools at the top right of the map to outline the area of your proposed project(s).

These will appear in the ‘Graphics’ layer of the map. You can:

  • rotate or resize graphics
  • draw multiple graphics onto the map

For Stage 1 applications, you can submit a screenshot of your proposed project area(s) if you are unable to submit a file in a mappable format, such as:

  • KML
  • Shapefile
  • geoJSON

Stage 2 applications will require a mappable file. If your organization is not able to create mappable files, you can use the free map tool from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED).

Layers

To access different layers on the map you can:

  • use the ‘Expand / Collapse’ icon below the Drawing Tools bar to show or hide the list of map layers
  • select the layer name to show or hide individual layers

There are three types of layers.

  1. Infrastructure layers show the location of the following anchor institutions:
    • public schools
    • hospitals
    • libraries
  2. Geographic layers show boundaries for:
    • First Nations reserves
    • census divisions
    • population centres
  3. Service level layers are displayed against a standard hexagonal grid used by ISED and are provided for reference only. Applications will not be assessed using the hexagonal grid. These layers show the following broadband and LTE-related data:
    • 50/10 service levels show estimated percentage of households or businesses with access to 50-10 in each hexagonal area. Areas with no access to 50/10 are excluded
    • areas with no LTE shows areas where at least one 250 m road segment does not have access to LTE mobile service
    • street-level coverage shows street-level details (in 250 m segments) for internet service levels

The street-level coverage broadband layer shows one layer for each census division. To view the data in this layer, you must:

  • select the name of the census division containing your project area
  • select any point to see population and service level (speed) for that segment
  • zoom in to level 11 or higher (shown at bottom right of the map)

This layer shows four levels of internet connectivity using coloured circles:

  • 25-5 mbps (yellow)
  • 10-2 mbps (orange)
  • 5-1 mbps (red)
  • 0 mbps (grey)
  • segments with access to 50-10 mbps service are excluded

Contact us

Send an email to ICONprogram@ontario.ca if you have questions about this map or the ICON application process.