THUNDER BAY, ON: Matawa First Nations today welcomed provincial investments for the Rapid Lynx broadband project as announced by Premier Doug Ford, Greg Rickford, Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines and Minister of Indigenous Affairs and Laurie Scott, Minister of Infrastructure. The investment of $30 million is provided through the Ontario’s Broadband and Cellular Action Plan.

The investment fulfills the last needed funding to bring state of the art next-generation high-speed broadband to internet dead spots in 5 fly-in/remote First Nations in the Matawa region. In October 2017, the federal Ministry of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (through the Connect to Innovate initiative) invested $37.1 million and, the federal Indigenous and Northern Affairs invested $2.14 million towards the project. In November 2018, the RL broadband project joined the First Mile Connectivity Consortium which is a collective of First Nations across Canada undergoing similar fibre-to-the-home projects.