Overview

Now more than ever, Ontarians need access to reliable high-speed internet to:

  • stay in touch with friends and family
  • access public services like health care and education
  • operate businesses
  • work from anywhere in the province
  • create jobs and enhance economic growth

Our goal is for everyone in Ontario to have access to reliable high-speed internet and cellular connections at home, work and in our communities.

We are making an investment of nearly $4 billion to help bring high-speed internet access to every community across the province by the end of 2025. More details on the program and the registration process for eligible primary residences and businesses will be available in Spring 2025.

Find high-speed internet projects happening near you

Use this map to learn more about high-speed internet access in Ontario. Find information about provincially funded projects that will help ensure access to reliable internet service across the province by the end of 2025. You can search by address, community, or municipality for information on high-speed internet availability and projects in your area.

Bringing high-speed internet access to every community in Ontario

Ontario Satellite Internet (ONSAT) Program

In November 2024, Ontario announced a partnership with Starlink to launch the new Ontario Satellite Internet (ONSAT) program, which will offer high-speed satellite internet access to 15,000 eligible unserved and underserved homes and businesses, including in rural, remote and northern communities across the province where ground-based fibre connections are not feasible.

High-speed satellite internet service is expected to become available for eligible communities beginning in June 2025. More details on the program and the registration process for eligible primary residences and businesses will be available in Spring 2025.

Speeding up construction and removing barriers for high-speed internet projects

Ontario is working to speed up construction of high-speed internet projects in communities across the province through the Building Broadband Faster Act, 2021. This legislation helps reduce barriers that can cause delays with building broadband infrastructure, helping communities get access to reliable, high-speed internet sooner and strengthening the economy. Legislative and regulatory amendments were made to the Building Broadband Faster Act, as part of the Less Red Tape, Stronger Economy Act, 2023, to address barriers to timely municipal permit approvals and allow efficient infrastructure data collection.

We have also updated our Building Broadband Faster in Ontario Guideline to help provide additional clarity and best practices for internet service providers, municipalities, local distribution companies (LDCs) and others to deliver high-speed internet projects faster.

Ontario has also removed further barriers, duplication and delays, making it easier and faster to build high-speed internet infrastructure through the Getting Ontario Connected Act, 2022. This legislation helps ensure underserved and unserved communities across the province gain access to reliable high-speed internet sooner.

These changes will help ensure every community in Ontario has access to high-speed internet by the end of 2025.

High-speed internet and cellular project investments

Learn more about other high-speed internet and cellular projects and investments happening now across Ontario:

Accelerated High-Speed Internet Program (AHSIP)

In 2021, we launched an innovative and transparent competitive process, led by Infrastructure Ontario, that gave telecommunications and internet service providers the opportunity to bid for provincial funding. We have now signed contracts with eight internet service providers to bring better access to homes and businesses in more municipalities across Ontario.

Improving Connectivity for Ontario (ICON) program

In 2020, we launched the Improving Connectivity for Ontario (ICON) program. This is a program that aims to improve and expand reliable high-speed internet across the province, including several First Nation communities.

Since the program’s launch, we have invested over $593 million for 73 projects to provide high-speed internet access to nearly 259,000 premises.

Many of the projects are also funded by the federal government, which has committed over $609 million to them under its Universal Broadband Fund (UBF) program.

Through a joint investment of over $1.2 billion from both levels of government, we are helping to  bring reliable, high-speed internet access to up to 280,000 more homes and businesses by the end of 2025.

Brighton Pilot Project

In March 2022, Ontario announced a pilot project, led by Hydro One, to help bring high-speed internet access to up to 1,450 homes and businesses in Brighton. Hydro One will use their existing infrastructure — such as hydro poles — to quickly develop high-speed internet networks. This will allow them to work with internet service providers to help provide high-speed internet access to more residents in Brighton.

Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN)

Rural communities in Eastern Ontario are closer to getting near-complete cellular coverage.

On March 19, 2021 EORN announced that Rogers Communications was awarded the contract for EORN’s Cell Gap Project, to improve the coverage and capacity of cell networks in the region.

Rogers is investing more than $150 million to upgrade and expand the regions’ wireless infrastructure over five years. This investment, along with provincial and federal government commitments of up to $71 million each, plus $10 million from all members of the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus and most municipalities within the Eastern Ontario Mayors’ Caucus, brings the total value of the public-private partnership to nearly $400 million.

This project is helping rural communities take part in the digital economy, creating jobs and improving public safety.

Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT)

We are investing in the Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology project to bring high-speed internet to more than 70,000 homes and businesses across Southwestern Ontario.

In total, the Ontario government will invest nearly $97 million towards this project, along with additional federal and municipal government funding, to expand high-speed internet access in communities across the province.

SWIFT Inc. has awarded contracts to bring high-speed internet to thousands of homes and businesses in:

  • the counties of Lambton, Wellington, Norfolk, Dufferin Oxford, Grey, Bruce, Simcoe, Essex, Brant, Middlesex, Perth, Elgin and Huron
  • the Regional Municipality of Niagara
  • the Regional Municipality of Waterloo
  • the Regional Municipality of Chatham-Kent
  • The Town of Caledon
  • The Township of Walpole
  • Saugeen First Nation
  • Oneida First Nation
  • Chippewa of Nawash First Nation
  • Delaware Nation at Moraviantown

Bringing high-speed internet to the North

We are investing $10.9 million to bring faster broadband to several northern towns and First Nation communities to help bridge the digital divide across Northern Ontario.

Telesat’s Lightspeed project

Ontario is investing $109.2 million in Telesat's Lightspeed project, the largest space project ever undertaken in Canada, to help meet the increased demand for digital connectivity at home and across the world.

Our partnership with Telesat, a leading-edge Canadian company, will help support:

  • diversifying Ontario's digital infrastructure
  • paving the way for future economic growth and good jobs
  • enhancing Ontario’s competitiveness and innovation in the sector

Matawa project

Ontario has invested $30 million in the Matawa project, which will connect five remote Matawa-member First Nation communities to fast and reliable internet service and benefit more than 670 homes and institutions, including schools, airports, band offices, health offices and police stations.

The project will improve quality of life and create vibrant communities by connecting families, driving economic growth and expanding access to education and skills training.

Next Generation Network Program

Ontario has committed $63.3 million over five years to the Next Generation Network Program, a partnership between the Centre of Excellence in Next Generation Networks (CENGN) and the Ontario Centres of Excellence (OCE). To date, 11 projects have been launched, including:

  • Carling Township (near Parry Sound)
  • Migisi Sahgaigan First Nation (near Dryden)
  • Iron Bridge (near Sault Ste. Marie)
  • Municipality of Magnetawan (Ahmic Harbour)
  • Municipality of Temagami
  • Dawn-Euphemia Township (close to Sarnia)
  • Halton Region
  • Township of Alnwick/Haldimand (near Cobourg)
  • Holland Marsh
  • City of Kenora – Northern Lake Region
  • Nipissing First Nation

Projects include bringing high-performance high-speed internet access to 200 homes in Parry Sound and Carling Township, and the introduction of high speed, reliable internet services to the communities of Dawn-Euphemia township. More projects are planned in the future.

These innovative projects demonstrate and validate new technology solutions that can be applied in other rural and Northern Ontario communities.

Connecting libraries

Ontario’s public libraries are important parts of our communities. We are investing more than $4.8 million to upgrade internet at public libraries in areas of need.

ENCQOR initiative

Ontario is helping to ensure the province has access to the best next-generation technologies. The province has committed $66.7 million over five years to build the world’s first pre-commercial 5G wireless network for open innovation through the Evolution of Networked Services through the Corridor in Quebec and Ontario for Research and Innovation (ENCQOR) initiative.

This will help us develop the 5G applications of the future.

Supporting digital learning

Education Broadband Modernization Program

Ontario’s schools need strong high-speed internet capacity to support a modern education system. We have made significant investments in broadband infrastructure as we work to bring high-speed internet access to every community across the province by the end of 2025, and to help ensure students across the province can:

  • access online learning resources
  • connect with experts
  • collaborate on projects worldwide

As of March 31, 2022, high-speed internet modernization is complete at 4,937 schools, benefiting more than 2 million students, including in rural and northern communities. The Ministry of Education continues to collaborate with publicly funded school boards on the sustainment and continuous improvement of school networks and broadband to support the growing reliance on digital services. 

Learning at home resources

TVO Learn and TFO Apprendre à la maison offers additional educational resources developed by Ontario certified teachers to students from Kindergarten to Grade 12. These resources are directly aligned with the Ontario curriculum and can be used on their own, or to support classroom learning activities provided by teachers.

TVO’s Independent Learning Centre (ILC) Open House provides access to about 150 Grade 9 to 12 courses. These ILC resources are non-credit, and designed to provide flexible learning opportunities that help students keep up with their studies or deepen their understanding of specific subjects.

Online learning for secondary students

Online learning can help students gain knowledge to harness technology to their benefit and develop skills for lifelong learning.

Ontario is committed to modernizing the delivery of online learning courses to increase student access to high-quality public education and position the province as a global leader in online learning.

Starting with students who entered Grade 9 in the 2020–2021 school year, all students must earn at least 2 online learning credits to get their high school diploma. This online learning requirement supports students to develop digital literacy and transferable skills to become lifelong learners and succeed in work, post-secondary education and life after graduation.

Virtual Learning Strategy for postsecondary education

The Virtual Learning Strategy, launched in December 2020, positions Ontario as a global leader in postsecondary education, with flexible virtual learning opportunities that help all learners acquire the skills and training needed for the jobs of today and tomorrow.

Through the Virtual Learning Strategy, Ontario is:

  • expanding access to flexible, hybrid learning opportunities, that give learners a fair chance to gain the skills needed to meet the needs of today's job market, wherever they are
  • providing tools and technologies for learners in small, rural, remote, Indigenous and Francophone communities
  • helping deliver courses to students who might not otherwise access postsecondary education

To support this strategy, Ontario invested over $70 million in virtual learning and educational technologies to expand high-quality, market-responsive hybrid education across the province between 2020–2024.

Contact North

Funded by the province, Contact North helps Ontario residents find and register for distance and online learning opportunities and provides local support services to learners in communities across the province.

Contact North’s services are provided at no cost to learners and are available in English and French.

eCampusOntario

eCampusOntario is funded by the Government of Ontario to drive excellence in online and technology enabled learning in the postsecondary sector. All publicly assisted colleges, universities, and six Indigenous Institutes in Ontario are members of this organization. Through collaboration, eCampusOntario builds Ontario’s capacity to deliver high-quality, cost-effective online learning opportunities throughout the postsecondary education system, including support for the implementation of Ontario’s Virtual Learning Strategy.