Crews installing or maintaining underground fiber-optic cable have been a common sight on local roads lately, particularly in Champlain and North Glengarry. The Review received a message from a resident suspecting the work is being done to facilitate communications and operations involving the proposed Alto high-speed rail line between Ottawa and Montréal. It is not.
Alto Senior Advisor, Corporate Communications Crystal Jongeward said any work the crown corporation is doing right now is focused on their field study program. This work is taking place within the central segment of the study corridor between Ottawa and Montréal.
“The studies are designed to be as non-invasive as possible and may include wildlife and flora observations, soil sampling, sound-level measurements, and the analysis of waterways and wetlands,” Jongeward said.
According to the Ontario government’s interactive map of projects, it has funded to bring high-speed, fiber optic communication services, installation work is still in progress in Champlain around Highway 34 at Pattee Road, and on Greenlane Road East. In North Glengarry, work is still in progress on Highway 34 between McCrimmon and Alexandria.
To view the map online, see https://www.ontario.ca/page/ontario-connects-making-high-speed-internet-accessible-in-every-community?utm_source=keyword&utm_medium=keyword-url&utm_campaign=highspeedinternet
The province is spending nearly $4 billion on fiber optic projects to ensure all inhabited areas of Ontario have high-speed internet access by 2028.
