Welcome

to “action central” for Eastern Ontario’s efforts to develop and implement a network bringing modern, high-speed internet services to the region. Led by the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC Inc.), the Eastern Ontario broadband project is focused on filling a vital infrastructure gap in the region: modern high-speed internet service. EOWC Inc. – and many other stakeholders – understand that without this service, Eastern Ontario’s ability to develop into strong, vibrant communities where innovation, economic growth and industry thrive will be severely limited. That’s why this project is the EOWC Inc.’s top priority for 2009. And the timing couldn’t be better....

News

Eastern Ontario Regional Broadband Network Receives Federal and Provincial Funding Support (July 30): The governments of Ontario and Canada have announced that they will each provide up to $55 million toward the creation of an Eastern Ontario regional broadband network as proposed by the Eastern Ontario Wardens' Caucus Inc. More...

Digital Summit A Major Success (March 25): Attendance levels and post-Summit evaluations indicate that the March Digital Summit was a major success – nearly 120 participants heard keynote speakers Doug Reycraft, Matt Wenger, and Bernard Lord as well as pursuing sector-based workshop discussions on e-health, e-learning, e-government and e-business applications. More....

Digital Summit 2009 Media Release (March 9): More than 100 public and private sector organizations will gather in Kingston in late March to take the next step in filling a vital infrastructure gap in the region: modern high-speed internet service for communities across Eastern Ontario. More...

Digital Summit 2009: The Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC Inc.) is hosting a Digital Summit on March 24-25, 2009 at the Ambassador Conference Resort. The Summit will bring together more than 100 public and private sector organizations to explore the possible uses of a proposed region-wide broadband network. The Summit is expected to consider broadband applications for e-learning, e-business, e-health and e-government. Click here to check out the details and register for the Digital Summit!

Federal Budget Calls for $225 Million Investment in Broadband: The federal government’s 2009 Budget calls for a $225 million investment over three years to “develop and implement a strategy on extending broadband coverage to unserved communities”. Eastern Ontario has 273,000 residents, 93,500 dwellings, more than 5,600 businesses, and thousands of tourists and summer residents with no internet connection. Existing internet connections are already heavily used and new applications require more and more broadband capacity, thus slowing internet speeds considerably. While urban residents can usually get speeds of 3-6 Megabits per second (Mbps), those rural residents who are connected are limited to 1.5 Mbps. Eastern Ontario definitely has many unserved communities.

EOWC Inc. Issues Request for Expressions of Interest (REOI): On January 13, 2009 the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus issued an REOI for development of a network that will help bring modern, high-speed internet services to at least 95 per cent of the people and businesses across Eastern Ontario. The EOWC Inc. has been working closely with the Federal and Provincial Governments to develop a proposal for a network that will have capacity to support growth and prosperity throughout Eastern Ontario for the next 10 years. The next step is to invite the private sector to participate in this important project.