Elgin County Wants to Hear About Your Internet Connection

Central Elgin, ON – The Elgin County Connectivity Committee has launched a survey asking residents and businesses about their internet connectivity experiences.

The survey is designed to identify connectivity gaps in Elgin County by asking a series of questions about current internet service, connectivity speeds, and challenges associated with accessing fast reliable internet. This information will be used to help the Committee to identify high-speed internet solutions for Elgin County.

Access to fast, reliable internet is an issue that rural municipalities have struggled with for many years. It is crucial that those in underserviced and rural areas have access to the same economic and educational opportunities that their urban counter parts do. The County of Elgin in conjunction with the member municipalities of the Western Ontario Warden’s Caucus have been working to advocate for rural broadband connectivity through the work of the SWIFT project; however, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic exacerbated the issue as large portions of the population were required to quickly adjust to working and learning from home.

“This is a matter of urgency,” said Councillor Tom Marks, Chair of the Committee. “We’ve always had underserviced areas in Elgin County but the pandemic has really revealed our connectivity weaknesses. Internet is no longer a luxury but a basic tool that families and small business owners must have to perform daily activities. I encourage residents of Elgin, no matter where you live, to fill out this survey – the more data we collect, the easier it will be for us to pinpoint areas of greatest need.”

Residents and businesses in Elgin County can fill out the Survey online at www.elgincounty.ca/connectivitycommittee or pick up a copy at one of Elgin County’s ten library branches, the Elgin County Administration Building, or select Elgin County municipalities. The Survey will be available until November 6, 2020. Please contact adminteam@elgin.ca for more information.

The need to increase high-speed internet connectivity throughout Elgin County was identified as a key priority in Elgin County Council’s Strategic Plan 2020-2022. The Connectivity Committee was established to help Council achieve this priority by championing high-speed connectivity across the County for all rural residents.

For additional information, please contact:
Councillor Tom Marks
tmarks@elgin.ca