Bruce Power, the world's largest operating nuclear facility, is now a member of the SouthWestern Integrated Fibre Technology Inc. (SWIFT) initiative.

"Becoming a member of SWIFT will help our communities – and our economy – truly reach their potential," said Sarah Shortreed, Bruce Power Vice President and Chief Information Officer. "Widespread access to broadband Internet, especially in the rural areas of southwestern Ontario, is incredibly important to families and businesses, as technology becomes ever-more necessary in our daily lives."

By joining SWIFT, Bruce Power is investing in a collective broadband initiative that is funding the construction of an ultra high-speed fibre-optic regional broadband network for everyone in Southwestern Ontario, Caledon and the Niagara Region. This partnership follows $180 million in combined investments by the federal and provincial governments and over $17 million in investments by municipalities across southwestern Ontario, Caledon and the Niagara Region.

"We live in an increasingly digital world where access to high-speed networks means access to incredible opportunities for innovation and growth," said Gerry Marshall, Board Chair at SWIFT. "By working together, we can create the aggregated demand we need to accelerate fibre diffusion and remove barriers to economic development, e-commerce, education, employment and health care."

"SWIFT is an evidence-based solution that is leveraging the collective voice of 3.5 million Ontarians to maximize broadband infrastructure investments," said Geoff Hogan, Chief Executive Officer at SWIFT. "Game changing models, like SWIFT, need to be supported and rolled out across the province."

source: media release, Bruce Power