West Nipissing Mayor Joanne Savage says all rural communities in Nipissing District experience issues with not having high-speed internet.
Savage was part of a Mayors’ forum in North Bay hosted by North Bay Mayor Al McDonald.
The goal was to identify common problems the municipalities face and ways to resolve them.
High on the list for everyone was high-speed internet.
Savage says it’s detrimental in today’s age for anyone who wants to become self-employed or be an entrepreneur not to have high-speed internet.
She adds it’s also tough on businesses and education.
“We have a school in River Valley that doesn’t have access to high-speed internet and many residents living outside Sturgeon Falls are very restricted with having access to high-speed internet,” said the Mayor.
Savage says in addition to having high-speed internet, the service needs to be affordable.
Savage says high-speed internet has become as important as having access to transportation infrastructure.
“If you don’t have that communication opportunity with the outside world to either market the service or sell the goods that you want to be able to sell, or promote who you are and where you are, it’s definitely a disadvantage,” Savage said.
Ensuring Nipissing District can get high-speed internet is one objective of the area Mayors.