Long Point used to be where Wi-Fi went to die.
But more than 900 homes and businesses in rural Norfolk County are now browsing speedily thanks to broadband infrastructure installed through Southwest Integrated Fiber Technology (SWIFT), a non-profit initiative to bring high-speed internet to underserviced areas.
The province and Ottawa contributed a combined $1.2 million to the Long Point project, which connected 927 addresses — including along the sand spit to Old Cut — by laying over three kilometers of fibre-optic cable from Port Rowan to the cottage community.
Work started in 2019 but was slowed by the need to replace a bridge on the Long Point causeway, explained ward councilor Tom Masschaele.
Now that the main fibre-optic line has been connected, SWIFT’s inaugural project is officially complete.
“I have always been very proud of the fact that Norfolk County was chosen as the first project area of 37 municipalities,” Masschaele told The Spectator, noting internet connectivity in his ward had been “sorely lacking” and having high-speed access “has been a great benefit to businesses and residents alike.”
Faster internet provides “a solid foundation for economic growth and innovation while enhancing the overall quality of life for residents,” SWIFT board chair Gary McNamara said in a media release.
JP Antonacci is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter based at The Hamilton Spectator. The initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.