Duane Hicks
The Rainy River Future Development Corp. is seeking letters of support from district municipalities as it applies for funding to improve Internet service in the west end of the district.
The RRFDC is applying to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corp. and FedNor for what is being called the “West Rainy River District Broadband Upgrade Project.”
“The project is being undertaken to improve high-speed Internet service in the west Rainy River District,” the RRFDC noted in a letter received by town council during its regular meeting Monday night.
“At present, some areas in the western portion of the Rainy River District still do not have access to high-speed Internet service,” it stated.
“In addition, most rural customers do not have access to services of five megabits per second [mbps] or higher.
“The RRFDC intends to help as many residents and organizations in the Rainy River District access broadband service at the standard of five mbps or higher,” the letter added.
The RRFDC will work with Tbaytel to develop the proposed project (Tbaytel was selected through an open request for proposal process held by the RRFDC this past fall).
The two organizations have a track record of developing successful projects working together.
This project will build upon the successful implementation of the West Rainy River broadband/cellular in-fill project done in previous years to leverage the investments already made by the NOHFC, FedNor, and Tbaytel.
This project also will continue the effective working relationship between the RRFDC and Tbaytel.
Letters of support also are to indicate that municipalities are in support of Tbaytel’s application to Industry Canada’s Digital Canada 150 fund on behalf of this project.
Town council agreed Monday to write a letter of support.
Also at Monday night’s meeting, council:
•appointed Richard Boileau, Pat Gartshore, Jennifer Horton, Shelley Wepruk, and Annely Armstrong-Thorstad to the BIA Board of Management for a term ending Nov. 30, 2018;
•appointed James Curr and Caren Fagerdahl to the Museum Advisory Committee for a term ending Nov. 30, 2016;
•appointed Caren Fagerdahl to the Theatre Management Advisory Committee for a term ending Nov. 30, 2016;
•passed a bylaw to amend By-law 06/06, as amended, to establish the retention periods for documents and records of the Town of Fort Frances;
•passed a bylaw to approve a licence agreement with Environmental Systems Research Institute Inc. and ESRI Canada for access to online services;
•passed a bylaw to provide for an interim tax levy in the year 2015, and to provide for penalty and interest to be charged on the unpaid balance for late payment of said interim taxes (all as provided for in the Municipal Act, 2001);
•passed a bylaw to authorize the borrowing of money to meet current expenditures of the Council of the Corporation of the Town of Fort Frances; and
•agreed to meet with Elm Avenue resident Bob Dobransky at a future council meeting to discuss a concern in his neighbourhood.
