A program to spread high-speed internet across Southwestern Ontario is finally getting off the ground after the organization spearheading the effort officially awarded contracts for three pilot projects on Monday.

The Southwestern Ontario Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT), in conjunction with the Ontario and federal government and five internet service providers, will be investing a combined $35 million for 11 contracts that will bring broadband services to about 11,000 homes and businesses in Lambton (four contracts), Norfolk (three) and Wellington (four) counties.

These are the first projects since the SWIFT program began in 2016 with a promise to connect millions of Ontarians, especially in rural areas, to speedy broadband, fibre optic connections.

“Today is a good day,” said Barry Field, SWIFT’s executive director. “Rural Ontario has been thirsty for good and decent broadband service for a very long time . . . and this is a very large step forward in providing that throughout these communities.”

Roughly $20 million is coming from the federal and provincial governments with internet companies and SWIFT covering the rest.

The province’s $10-million share is part of a $63.7-million commitment made last summer by the Progressive Conservative government of Premier Doug Ford to improve internet and cellphone service in rural Ontario.

Norfolk Mayor Kristal Chopp called the announcement a “game-changer” for residents in her community.

“We live in an era where reliable internet access is essential and has the power to be a true game-changer in our rural municipalities,” she said.

“Everything from businesses to students doing their homework to even farmers rely now on the internet for their farming operations. It vastly transcends rural life.”

Sparsely populated areas with long distances between users are not attractive investments for service providers, which is why government funding is key to get these types of projects going, Field said.

“Internet service providers are private businesses and, of course . . . in areas where this no business case to do this, they need incentives from all levels of government,” he said.

The installation of the infrastructure for these projects, expected to bring speeds of up to one gigabit per second in some areas, is scheduled to start this year, though the majority of them won’t be completed until 2021.

Now that these contracts have been awarded, Field said SWIFT will be shifting its attention to projects in the remaining 17 municipalities that are part of the organization across Southwestern Ontario, the Niagara Region and Caledon.

“We’re moving towards a digital economy, a digital society and there are segments of our population that are being left behind simply because of their geographic location,” Field said. “This announcement today is a very good first step towards solving that problem . . . and we are looking forward to the next phase.”

jjuha@postmedia.com

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SWIFT pilot projects

Norfolk County communities:

Wilsonville, Boston, Bealton, Dundurn, Waterford, Townsend Centre, Villa Nova, Bloomsburg, Walsh, Turkey Point, Normandale, Old Cut, Long Point.