WAWA — Despite pleas from the mayor, Wawa has again been deemed “ineligible” for home deployment of their wired, broadband fibre internet service.
The mayor met with other municipal officials during the Association of Municipalities of Ontario conference held in London in August, where she was informed by the ministry of infrastructure that Wawa remains off-the-table for network improvements.
Despite the Canadian government’s $3-billion investment in a universal broadband fund, Wawa will not have access to either fund nor be granted additional funding to improve network infrastructure.
Now, Pilon seeks to lobby the province for a review and reconsideration of eligibility requirements.
“As we all know and experience on a daily basis, our [wireless] fibre network and our connectivity is spotty," said Pilon. "It’s unsustainable, it’s not great, and it certainly affects every aspect of our business."
Currently, Wawa meets the minimum requirement of 50/10 (defined as 50Mbps download and 10Mbps upload speeds) which the province considers sufficient enough to not require further improvement. Canada’s Connectivity Strategy highlights the fact that 50/10 is the minimum target speed and that “connectivity demands are expected to continue to rise beyond” that target.
Wawa’s own network is still under construction.
The Improving Connectivity for Ontario program, launched by Infrastructure Ontario in late September 2022, seeks to complete implementation of Shaw’s wireless fibre network in the North Algoma region by December 2024.
Until then, however, there are still areas in the region around Wawa without or with limited access.
Pilon called the denial of service “unacceptable.”
She added that a lack of reliable internet services puts Wawa at a disadvantage that effects economic development, medical services, and attraction and retention of families.
“I think that this is something council really needs to pay attention to,” said Pilon.