EORN applies for funding for gig project

By Chad Ingram

The Eastern Ontario Regional Network, owned by the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus, of which Haliburton County is a part, is applying for federal and provincial funding for what it’s calling its gig project. 


That project would deliver “gig” internet speeds – that’s 1,000 Mbps, or one gigabyte per second – to the area. 


“The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the crisis in rural internet access and capacity,” reads a release from EORN. “It has impacted businesses, student learning, health care and government services. Fixing the issue now with a comprehensive gig solution will ensure that rural communities have the connectivity needed to recover from the pandemic and compete globally over the long term.” 


The project would be a public-private partnership, worth $1.6 billion. It is separate from EORN’s $213-million cell gap project, which is getting underway, and which seeks to eliminate gaps in mobile, broadband internet connectivity throughout eastern Ontario.