Seven new cellular phone towers will make mobile phone service much more reliable in rural areas of Argenteuil.
On Tuesday, October 15, Argenteuil Member of the Québec National Assembly Agnès announced that the Québec government is funding the installation of the local towers as part of a $170 million investment in 100 new towers across Québec designed to improve mobile service in rural areas.
Three of the new towers will be in Grenville-sur-la-Rouge; three in Harrington; and one in Brownsburg-Chatham. All of the towers will be in places where the signal is currently poor or non-existent.
Grondin said the improved communications will improve the quality of life for area residents.
Completion of the tower construction and equipment installation is to be completed by the end of December, 2026. Once the new towers are operating, more than 4,350 homes will benefit from improved coverage, along more than 500 kilometres of roads.
The Québec government has awarded the construction and operation of the new towers to Vidéotron.
“We are happy that our demands have finally been heard so that our citizens can benefit from a cellular network throughout our vast territory. This has long been a concern for Grenville-sur-la-Rouge, especially to ensure everyone’s safety,” said Grenville-sur-la-Rouge Mayor Tom Arnold.
The need for better mobile phone service in Grenville-sur-la-Rouge is something Arnold said he had previously raised in conversation with Québec Premier François Legault, particularly because of the remote, mountain terrain found in much of the municipality.
“It’s truly a question of safety for us,” Arnold said.
Harrington Mayor Gabrielle Parr said reliable cellular service will bring peace of mind to the township’s residents, most of whom are older, because it will be easier to call for help during emergencies. She added that good mobile phone service will also help attract business to Harrington because there are currently only six operating businesses in the municipality.
“It will be so much easier if people have access to this essential service,” Parr said.
Brownsburg-Chatham Mayor Kévin Maurice said having good cellular service in the town will complement its designation as a Village-Relais as a reliable place for travelers to stop to access services.
The sites of the seven new cellular towers in Argenteuil are selected based on their acceptability to area residents and their potential to provide the best service to users. Although the Québec government is paying for the construction of the new towers, the approval and regulation process for such installations is a federal responsibility.
