Pickle Lake has been chosen as the first community in the Kenora District to receive high-speed internet after $4.9 million in funding was approved by the federal government.
“We’re very excited to be able to move forward with this really important project. I think something the [COVID-19] pandemic really demonstrated and highlighted in our region, just how many families and households struggle with reliable internet, in particular when it comes to accessing online services or accessing online education,” said Henry Wall CAO of the Kenora District Services Board
Through the process of applying for internet funding, the KDSB found that more than 800 households in the Kenora District don’t have any access to any sort of internet. This made it very hard for children to connect to virtual learning this past school year.
The plan with the funding is to connect around 3000 households in the Kenora District to reliable high-speed internet that face the challenges of limited or inadequate access to the internet.
“The excitement has been shared across the region. It’s been well received, we suspect we will have more than 3000 households that need this [internet]. We do have an intake criteria and we’re going to try to be as fair as possible,” says Wall
The eligibility requirements for Pickle Lake residents who have a permanent residence (rent or own) include those who have applied for a Starlink internet kit on or after May 20, 2021, have no internet access, or have poor low-quality internet access to be considered.
The project will roll out through a by-community approach. Applications for Pickle Lake residents will be accepted beginning Wednesday, August 4, 2021, through August 18, 2021, at noon local time.
KDSB will be partnering with FSET Information Technology out of Kenora, to execute this project in the region. Starlink internet kits will be provided to applicants who have been approved for the project.
