BURLINGTON, ON, July 26, 2021 /CNW Telbec/ - Cogeco Connexion, a subsidiary of Cogeco Communication Inc. (TSX: CCA) is proud to announce that residents and businesses in Hastings County will be able to access high-speed Internet through an $8.8 million joint investment with the Government of Ontario. This includes the City of Belleville, the Township of Stirling-Rawdon, the Municipality of Centre Hastings, and the Municipality of Tweed.

Today, the Government of Ontario announced they are investing up to $14.7 million in 13 projects to expand high-speed Internet to more areas in Ontario through the Improving Connectivity in Ontario (ICON) program. "Our government continues to bring high-speed internet access across the province, including to several remote and First Nation communities," said Hon. Kinga Surma, Minister of Infrastructure. "This investment will connect over 17,000 homes and businesses with access to reliable, high-speed internet. We're doing everything we can to help ensure no one is left behind in today's digital world."

"Cogeco is proud to join forces with Minister Kinga Surma and the Government of Ontario to connect 3,595 homes and businesses in the communities of Hastings County. Our robust and reliable network infrastructure will enable high-speed broadband internet services with download speeds of up to 1Gbps, which is comparable to what we offer in major urban centres. This $8.8 million joint investment is another concrete step toward reducing the digital divide between urban and rural areas in Ontario and driving economic growth, which is crucial for the communities we serve," says Frédéric Perron, President of Cogeco Connexion.

Cogeco reinforces its leadership position in regional areas with this significant investment in addition to the billions of dollars already invested in serving its residential and business clients. It demonstrates Cogeco's strong support to Ontario's regional and rural economic development and efforts to increase competitiveness for companies and workers. Homes and businesses in Hastings County will benefit from Cogeco's full range of services, including the most flexible television and high-speed Internet services with download speeds of up to 1GB and unlimited data transfer capacity on most packages.

Additional projects will soon be announced as part of Cogeco's ongoing four-year commitment to investing over $1 billion in expanding its advanced Canadian broadband network to connect communities throughout Ontario.

ABOUT COGECO CONNEXION

Cogeco Connexion regroups the Canadian cable operations of Cogeco Communications Inc. Cogeco Connexion is the second largest cable operator in Ontario and Québec based on the number of Internet service customers served. It provides its residential and small business customers with Internet, video and telephony services through its two-way broadband cable networks. Cogeco Communications Inc. is a communications corporation and is the 8th largest hybrid fibre coaxial cable operator in North America operating in Canada under the Cogeco Connexion brand name in Québec and Ontario, and in the United States through its subsidiary Atlantic Broadband in 11 states along the East Coast, from Maine to Florida. Cogeco Communications Inc.'s subordinate voting shares are listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: CCA).

SOURCE Cogeco Connexion

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