Remote Northeastern Ontario businesses are getting provincial money to improve cell phone and internet service. So far, though, homes are not.
Paul Ouimette is operations manager for NEOnet, the non-profit group that works on improving telecomm service and infrastructure in Northeastern Ontario. He acknowledges that the COVID-19 pandemic has brought into focus the challenges of rural dwellers working from home, and their children learning at home.
“Monies have not yet started flowing to have a cohesive solution,” remarks Ouimette. “So NEOnet will definitely work on that to identify project opportunities and submit them for both federal and provincial consideration.”
He says a conference last week on that topic included the CRTC and both senior levels of government.
“And we’ll see if these pieces are starting to have some synergies towards releasing some funds an a cohesive plan that will benefit both businesses and residents alike, to address some of the challengers we have for education as well as work-from-home.”
