Pelee Island residents to receive broadband internet

PELEE ISLAND — The township of Pelee Island will finally receive broadband internet service, thanks to an announcement made last week by Member of Parliament of Windsor-Tecumseh, Irek Kusmierczyk. Kusmierczyk made the announcement on behalf of the federal government.

“Today’s announcement is epic,” said Pelee Island Deputy Mayor Dave Dawson. “This project has been a total team effort, thanks to current and former MPs and MPPs.

Dawson also thanked neighbouring communities like Leamington, Kingsville and Chatham-Kent for lobbying for the change.

The announcement allows island residents and businesses to keep up with ever changing technology, will promote population growth and allow for an easier to use and more reliable 9-1-1- system.

The $20-million investment will connect every household and business on the island to high-speed internet service.

About 75 km of state-of-the-art submarine fibre cable will be installed across the lakebed of Lake Erie.

“Economic development should be a poster for every community across our country,” added Essex County Warden and S.W.I.F.T. Chair Gary McNamara.

S.W.I.F.T is Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology and is a non-profit organization led by municipalities across the region.