HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2015-06-10, Page 9Wednesday, June 10, 2015 • Huron Expositor 9
County council sticking with SWIFT
Proposed
high-speed Internet
initiative looks to build a
regional fibre optic
broadband network in
southwestern Ontario
Marco Vigliotti
Huron Expositor
Huron County council is press-
ing for answers on how the thou-
sands of dollars it sunk into a
regional broadband initiative were
exhausted after being asked for an
additional $20,000 from the pro-
ject's coordinators.
Council passed a motion at its
June 3 meeting to send an informa-
tion request to the managing com-
mittee of the Southwestern Inte-
grated Fibre Technology (SWIFT)
about how the group spent the
$25,000 the county already paid in
membership dues.
Council, however, did not con-
sider immediately backing out of
SWIFT, with most members agreeing
to wait and see how the estimated
$233 million project to build a high-
speed fibre optic regional broadband
network for Western Ontario devel-
ops in the coming months.
Councillor Roger Watt, who
serves as deputy reeve of Ashfield-
Colborne-Wawanosh, likened the
debate about the project to a game
of poker, saying it is too early for
council to simply fold its hand and
refuse further participation.
"I think it's too soon to fold -
that's the most positive thing I can
say about it," he said, revealing
some reservations about the lack of
clear details regarding the pro-
posed scheme.
Warden Paul Gowing expressed
similar concerns, explaining that
he was told recently by those
involved with SWIFT that certain
questions raised by the county,
such as when its investment would
start bearing fruit in Huron County,
might not be answered until the
"process is already underway."
Despite reservations about mov-
ing forward with so much uncer-
tainty, he said it would probably be
wise to stick with the scheme after
forking over thousands in member-
ship fees.
"I really believe that we're at a
point where it would be a leap of
my faith to move forward but we
already have funds in this, it might
be best to see it through," he
explained.
Gowing also noted that a "well-
received" presentation by the
SWIFT managing committee at a
recent Good Roads Association
event in Toronto attracted the
interest of an Ontario government
minister who later referenced the
delegation in their speech, which
could potentially raise the possibil-
ity of future funding support.
"It has been noticed, it is on their
radar. Does that mean something
positive as far as funding in the
future? Who knows," he cautioned.
Helmed by the Western Ontario
Wardens Caucus (WOWC), a not-
for-profit organization comprised
of the heads of council represent-
ing 15 rural municipalities, in
cooperation with the Southwestern
Economic Alliance (SWEA), SWIFT
is currently weighing which service
providers it will tap to build the
fibre optic network, with construc-
tion anticipated to start in 2015.
It is expected to be completed
by 2020.
Brenda Orchard, the county's
chief administrative officer, told
council that the draft business plan
discussed at a recent WOWC meet-
ing focused almost exclusively on
the financial aspect of the project
and did not touch upon many of
the concerns of county council.
"It was more about the dollars
Book Now
FOR FHTIIER'S DRY
Something for Everyone
Prime Rib • BBQ Back Ribs • Chicken Breast
See Next Week's
Paper For FuII Details
Reservations Recommended.
YJ/i•f / Sw u9 f96mm ^ 2
1111
Please call for details 524-7711 4.
where we have questions about
process and governance and when
will we see our dollars invested in
Huron County," she explained.
Orchard said there "didn't seem
to be an appetite" among WOWC
members to herald a request by
Warden Gowing to develop a terms
of reference prior to the business
plan, adding that she is worried
that the finalized plan would focus
exclusively on financials.
She suggested council compile a
list of questions it wants to see
answered in the prospective busi-
ness plan and pose them to those
developing SWIFT during the next
WOWC meeting, coincidentally
slated to be hosted in Huron
County.
Another one of the major stick-
ing points in county council
discussions remains the lack of
clarity on how SWIFT would bring
broadband service to residents liv-
ing in remote, rural areas - figura-
tively known as the "last mile"
According to the project's web-
site, the cost alone to extend the
broadband fibre optic network to
the so-called last mile would total
somewhere between $50 million to
$70 million.
osio
pew B •
YOU COULD
• t, • , M111/21
GODERICIA 519 524 7811
AOR MOVIE INFORMATION...
www.rnawlehriks.ca a ,,i61-894-265 433
Happy 75th Birthday
BOB BEUTTENMILLER
June 15
YOUR MORTGAGE
PAYMENTS FOR
A YEAR AND BE
MORTGAGE FREE
EVEN SOONER WITH
OUR WIN-WIN RATE.
Apply now at winwinmortgage.com
or call 1-866-592-2226 and we'll come to you.
Meridian"
'Contest open to existing Members and prospective Members who have applied for and been accepted into membership at Meridian,
and purchased membership shares ($25), and who are legal residents of Ontario and over the age of 18. Employees of Meridian and their
immediate family members are excluded from the Contest. Entrants must have applied for and been approved (OAC) for a Meridian residential
mortgage loan during the Contest Period. Mortgage loan must be associated with the Member's primary place of residence (not an investment
or rental property). Limit of one (1) entry per household. Mortgage loan must be fully advanced by the end of the relevant Monthly Contest
Period within the overall Contest Period (June, July, August, and September). Contest Period runs from June 1, 2015 at 9,00:00 A.M. (Er) and
closes at 7:59:59 P.M. (Er) on September 30, 2015. Four (4) prizes available to be won (one (1) per Monthly Contest Period), each consisting
of a cash award equal to the aggregate of the winner's Mortgage payments due and payable during the first year of the mortgage, up to a
maximum of $15,000 (CDN). Monthly Draws will commence on July 14, 2015 in Oakville ON. Odds of being selected are one (1) in the total
number of eligible entries received during the applicable Monthly Contest Period (plus eligible non -winning entries received during previous
Monthly Contest Periods, as applicable). Selected entrants must have correctly answered a time-limited, skill -testing, mathematical question
to be declared a winner. For the full detail on the rules, prizes and how to enter, visit www.meridiancu.ca/mortgage. Some conditions apply.
2.69% APR assumes the typical example of a new mortgage with no costs of borrowing other than interest. Trademarks of Meridian Credit
Union Limited. 06/2015.