Durham Region late last year informed the Ontario Ministry of Infrastructure of its plan to build and operate its own regional broadband network.
In a letter dated December 23, 2021, to Kinga Surma, Ontario Minister of Infrastructure, Durham Region Council said a resolution was adopted to establish a Regional Broadband Network.
The region will develop, construct, and commercially operate a fibre optic network to provide open access fibre connectivity across Durham Region for delivery of regional services and to enable economic development and innovation across the Durham Region through improved broadband connectivity, said the letter obtained by Durham Post.
The resolution also asked that staff be authorized to incorporate a wholly-owned Municipal Services Corporation (MSC), said the letter.
In order to support the establishment and operations of the new MSC, capital expenditures for the planned first-year 60km build of the network is estimated at $5.1 million and related operating expenditures at $1.1 million. It is in the 2022 Business Plans and Budgets.
Durham Council has authorized expenditures of up to $500,000 to support the early establishment and network pre-build activities of the new corporation prior to the approval of the 2022 Business Plan and Budgets process, with financing to be provided at the discretion of the Commissioner of Finance, said the letter.
Regional staff has been actively pursuing opportunities to achieve the Broadband Strategy which was approved by council in 2019. The vision articulates that “Durham’s residents, businesses, and institutions will have access to fast, reliable and affordable broadband services so that they may fully participate, compete and thrive in the 21st century.”
Durham has been pursuing several government funding opportunities to fund the development and construction of the network, including:
- Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program – Federal and Provincial Governments;
- Improving Connectivity for Ontario – Provincial Government; and
- Universal Broadband Fund – Federal Government.
Durham has been successful in being awarded grants from all of the above listed grant programs and is in the process of negotiating or meeting the conditions of the respective funding agreements.