Mayors pursue broadband funding.Northern Ontario Northern Ontario is the part of the province of Ontario which lies north of Lake Huron (including Georgian Bay), the French River and Lake Nipissing. Northern Ontario has a land area of 802,000 km² (310,000 mi²) and constitutes 87% of the land area of Ontario, although it mayors, reeves and representatives are going after lead ministries to ask for money they said was earmarked to them from the previous government by Connect Ontario Broadband Regional Access (COBRA) project, an initiative tying Northern Ontario communities into the technology broadband highway. "Where is that $55 million?" George Farkouh, mayor of Elliot Lake Elliot Lake, city (1991 pop. 14,089), S central Ont., Canada, W of Sudbury. The focus of a 1950s uranium-mining boom, it is now a retirement home center. asked as he spoke at the 2004 Federation of Northern Ontario Municipality (FONOM FONOM Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities (Canada) ) conference held in Mindemoya on Manitoulin Island Manitoulin Island is a Canadian island in Lake Huron, the world's largest freshwater lake island. Geography and geology With an area of 2,766 km² (1,068 square miles), it is the 174th largest island in the world, and Canada's 31st largest island. last month. "We should be putting that question to the minister of economic development." During the conference, FONOM members approved a motion to meet with chair of Northern Ontario Heritage Fund The Northern Ontario Heritage Fund is a division of the Ministry of Northern Development and Mines in the Canadian province of Ontario, whose purpose is to provide funding and program support to foster economic development in the economically disadvantaged Northern Ontario region. Corp. Rick Bartolucci Rick Bartolucci (born October 10, 1943 in Sudbury, Ontario) is a Liberal member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario representing the Sudbury riding. He has been a member of the assembly since 1995, and is currently a cabinet minister in the government of Dalton McGuinty. , Minister of Northern Development and Mines, along with Joseph Cordiano, Minister of Economic Development and Trade. "We want to see that money invested because for every dollar invested by the government generates $4 in private sector investments," Farkouh added. Northern Ontario has continued to lag behind in high-speed infrastructure compared to the rest of the province, Farkouh said, and this diminishes economic opportunities. "We hear everyday about our youth leaving the North, businesses and industries shutting down. The broadband systems in Northern Ontario are small building blocks toward citizens reversing that process of economic decay." Major northern centres have been connected. However, smaller communities, mostly with populations under 3,000, have yet to be hooked up, according to Morry Brown, general manager of NetCentral. Towns located minutes from Greater Sudbury like Noelville, St. Charles, French River and to the northeast Chapleau, southern areas such as Bala and pockets on Manitoulin Island have yet to receive broadband infrastructure, Brown added. Communities attempting to recruit a new business or expand existing ones are being "handicapped" with limited telecommunication infrastructure and this impairs the community's chances of growing economically, Farkouh explained. By KELLY LOUISEIZE Northern Ontario Business Northern Ontario Business is a Canadian magazine, which publishes monthly in Greater Sudbury, Ontario. The magazine covers business news and issues in Northern Ontario. |
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