Hard to Reach – Delivering High-Speed Internet Through Satellite
The Province continues to make progress in its commitment to ensure every community across Ontario has access to high-speed internet (50/10 Mbps) by the end of 2025. This was demonstrated recently by a contract awarded to SpaceX’s Starlink by Infrastructure Ontario (IO) to deliver satellite internet access to 15,000 unserved and underserved homes and businesses, including in rural, remote and northern communities across the province.
As the first competitive process of its kind in Canada, the Ontario Satellite Internet (ONSAT) Program will leverage modern technology to provide high-speed internet access to unserved and underserved homes and businesses across Ontario where fibre optic or fixed wireless services are not currently available.
Fiber optic and fixed wireless connections
Previously, the Accelerated High Speed Internet Program (AHSIP), led by IO, awarded contracts to eight internet service providers (ISPs) to connect up to 266,000 unserved and underserved homes and businesses in as many as 339 municipalities across Ontario through the construction and installation of fiber optic or fixed wireless connections.
The recently launched ONSAT Program will help close the gap where fiber optic or fixed wireless connections are not viable due technical and geographical constraints.
Indigenous Engagement & Participation Plan (IEPP)
A unique aspect of this procurement was the inclusion of IO’s new Indigenous Engagement & Participation Plan (IEPP), which requires Starlink to engage directly with impacted Indigenous Communities, to ensure all eligible households and business within the impacted Indigenous Communities have equal access to the program, and to create socio-economic opportunities with the impacted Indigenous Communities, where feasible, through employment, contracting, and training opportunities.
Starlink is now in the process of beginning program implementation and the services are expected to be made available to eligible Ontarians in June 2025.
Learn more about the Ontario Satellite Internet (ONSAT) Program.