Broadband improvements for Caledon on the way?

October 17, 2019 · 0 Comments

Our Readers Write

Last week, the front page of the Caledon Citizen read, “Caledon partners up with Canadian firm to upgrade broadband infrastructure in Bolton”.

Being somewhat familiar with the plan for the last few years, I was excited to read on. It had seemed there was finally going to me some movement and shovels in the ground to start something to help rural broadband access in Caledon.

This has been identified as a top priority for the community and was identified in the Towns Work Plan for this term of council for 2018-2022.

Starting back in 2016, each and every Caledon resident has been paying an extra ‘levy’ as part of their annual property taxes to improve broadband access for the residents of Caledon. By now, the Town has likely collected over one million dollars from this ‘levy’.

Well, as we approach 2020 and to my dismay, it seems this was a lackluster first attempt and nothing more than a self-serving pat-on-the-back for council.

I was somewhat set aback when I read the first expenditure made from this fund was to fund a trivial 8km fibre run within an industrial area of Bolton. A sizable expenditure at that at $250,000!

Is this a ‘vital community need’ as quoted by Mayor Thompson? It is…yes, for residents. It is hard to see how funding high-speed access for companies within a business park benefits the taxpayer. The south of Bolton surely has wireless and cable broadband access for commercial customers. The Towns own Gap Analysis Map on the Town’s website shows Rogers has both fibre and cable Internet service in and around the same industrial area of Bolton that they are proposing to build in. So why here first?

Do companies really need my local government to help fund their Internet access? Feel free to ask the same!

Sabrina Mazzotta

Caledon resident

We have been voting

We have been voting, individually, of course, over the past 60 years and have, at various times, voted for all of the major parties including the Greens. Each election has its central issue and its compelling candidates. It is always important to make your vote count.

In this election, the primary issue is the challenge posed by climate change as our response in the next four years will set the stage for real action in Canada, or not. The only two parties who can form a government this time are the Conservatives and the Liberals. In this riding of Dufferin-Caledon the race between the candidates for these two parties is reportedly neck-and-neck. It behooves each of us to vote for the candidate from the party we think will do the most to deal with the climate challenge once in government. It is especially important for the Greens to not waste their ballot in this critical election. If they vote for the Green party, they may well be allowing the party least likely to address climate issues to win, denying the opportunity to the other party who will do the most to achieve a satisfactory future for our children, grandchildren and future generations.

Your vote in this election is that important. Use it wisely. Please!

M. and R. Allan

Caledon residents