Read on Twitter
#DYK Caledon has 1,021 km of roads, 625 km of which are considered under serviced for internet? The Town of Caledon is just a 45 minute drive from downtown Toronto and is apart of the rapidly growing Peel region, but still has poor or no internet service in some areas.
Caledon is a developing suburban area but is primarily rural. This map shows my neighbourhood and the discrepancies that exist in internet speeds. The download and upload speeds between the green and red points on the map vary despite being 7 minutes apart.
In Caledon, it's difficult to stay connected due to these slow internet speeds. Some residents rely on free public wifi or wireless hotspot devices to access a strong internet connection.
The problem is that Caledon is grouped with the GTA and big service providers have less incentive to develop here because it's not as profitable. Check out the broadband map for more information about the town's internet performance: https://maps.caledon.ca/h5/index.html?viewer=TownBroadbandMap.H5
The federal government has set a target for universal broadband coverage at download speeds of 50 Mbps and upload speeds of 10 Mbps. These speeds would enable online learning resources, high definition streaming, multiple users, and telehealth services.
Caledon’s city council has be working to improve connectivity by highlighting the need to expand high speed infrastructure. COVID-19 has increased the urgency to bridge this digital divide since connectivity is essential to grow a business, learn, and work from home.
In January, the Government of Canada and Ontario announced new investments in broadband infrastructure to connect more homes and businesses in Caledon to fast, reliable internet through construction projects that will expand fibre optic networks. https://news.ontario.ca/en/release/60094/expanding-broadband-connectivity-in-caledon
The investment in Caledon is an important step toward addressing the connectivity challenges my town is facing. All three levels of government must work together to ensure communities have access to reliable high speed internet, its essential to an inclusive COVID-19 recovery.
