Everus Communications Inc. has been chosen as the rural high speed internet service provider to expand the broadband initiative program in Grey County. The high speed internet expansion is an addition to the "Rural Connections Broadband Program" started last year in Grey County. The project area from last year has been complete in central Grey County; currently many rural residents are enjoying high speed internet, instead of a slow dial-up connection.

The Rural Connections Broadband Program is a government funded initiative led by the Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (OMAFRA). Grey County is one of the 15 counties in Ontario to recently receive a government grant to expand high speed internet infrastructure to underserved rural regions in Southern Ontario. Grey Country was one of the fortunate counties to receive the maximum available funding; a sum of $1,000,000 will be used to connect residents with high speed internet.

This intended outcome of the program is to enhance economic development along with improving access to public services such as e-learning, e-health and e-government. By connecting rural residents with the technology of high speed, they will have the ability to grow small companies and socialize online alongside those in urban cities.

"Everus is very excited for the opportunity to bring high-speed internet to more communities in Grey County. These rural residents have been patiently waiting for this technology to come along, and soon it will be available" says Richard Cantin, President of Everus Communications.

The infrastructure needed to provide this service will begin construction in February 2009, with the anticipation that Everus can begin connecting customers with high speed internet by July 2009. All accessible residents in the Grey Country project area will be reached by December 2009.

Everus is one of the largest rural internet service providers in Ontario, with offices in Holstein and Waterloo. You may contact Everus at 1-800-230-7778 or www.everus.ca for information on high speed internet availability in your area.