Expanded cell service coming to Manitoulin Island

Many areas of Manitoulin Island will have expanded access to cellular, mobile broadband, and high speed internet by 2017.

Residents, businesses, students and tourists in Evansville, Providence Bay, Sheshegwaning and Zhiibaahaasing First Nations, Meldrum Bay and surrounding areas on Manitoulin Island will be better connected thanks to a $4.46 million public-private investment.

The investement was arranged by NetCentral Community Communications Network (NetCentral) with FEDNOR (Industry Canada ($1,486,302), the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation (NOHFC) ($1,486,302), Bell ($647,528) and Rogers ($838,774).

Four new communications towers will be constructed over the next 24 months to provide cellular and high-speed wireless broadband services through Long Term Evolution (LTE) technology.

Broadband LTE provides download speeds of up to 25 Megabits per second (Mbps) which enables users to transmit and receive large data files.

Bell and Rogers together committed one-third of the capital cost of the project to construct two towers and co-locate on each other’s towers. FEDNOR and NOHFC each committed one-third of the capital cost of the towers and equipment which will serve Highways 551, 542 and 540 and communities including Providence Bay, Evansville, Sheshegwaning First Nation, Zhiibaahaasing First Nation and Meldrum Bay.

The four towers planned for Central and Western Manitoulin Island are in addition to the seven Rogers towers for which NetCentral secured funding in 2011 that are now serving Little Current, M’Chigeeng, Manitowaning, Mindemoya, Sheguiandah, South Baymouth and south of Espanola.

The seven cell sites are part of the NetCentral initiative that resulted in the deployment of 24 Rogers HSPA+ cell and mobile high speed Internet sites funded by NOHFC ($11.9 million), an agency of the Ontario government, and Rogers ($3.9 million).

NetCentral also previously secured funding of $836,325 from NOHFC toward the construction of two Bell towers at Desbarats and Echo Bay at a cost of $1,115,100.

To date, NetCentral has secured more than $37.5 million in communications infrastructure investments from the public and private sector in Northern Ontario.


“The Harper Government is proud to invest in broadband infrastructure and solutions that will help connect the Manitoulin region to the global economy,” said Greg Rickford, Canada’s Minister of Natural Resources and Minister for the Federal Economic Development Initiative for Northern Ontario (FedNor) in a release.

“By supporting this strategic initiative, our Government, through FedNor, is helping to create jobs and new economic opportunities, while positioning the Manitoulin region for long-term growth and prosperity.”

"I am pleased that our government is helping Manitoulin communities stay connected by improving cellular and broadband service,” said Michael Gravelle, Minister of Northern Development and Mines and Chair of the NOHFC in a press release.

“This will create new economic opportunities and social benefits for businesses and families in the North,”