CEONET: Communities of Eastern Ontario Network - the rural broadband centre
CEONET: Communities of Eastern Ontario Network - the rural broadband centre

CEONET Project History
as of August 2009

Fall 2007 to Spring 2008
North Glengarry Broadband Project

The North Glengarry broadband project brought wireless high-speed internet primaily to the hamlet of Dunvegan, Maxville, Laggan and region. CEONET was a supporting partner together with the Dunvegan Recreational Association, the Township of North Glengarry, the Ontario government through the OMAFRA Rural Connections programme and Barrett Xplornet.

Winter 2007
Eastern Ontario Broadband Coalition (EOBC) Survey

This was the second regional EOBC survey to determine broadband needs and cost in rural Eastern Ontario.

Fall 2006 to March 2007
RuralConnect.Ca

Funded by Industry Canada, this project created a Web 2.0 mentoring website for francophone farmwomen to help break down communication barriers, encourage interaction and share knowledge.

Winter to Fall 2006
TechBreak Breakfasts

Designed to help and inform users about broadband and internet applications, CEONET organised five short sessions on topics such as Voice Over IP, selling on the internet, security issues, open source software and more.

Winter 2006
Eastern Ontario Broadband Coalition Survey

Participant in survey of regional residents and small offices for locations where high-speed is wanted but is unavailable. This was followed by an independent mapping study of exact locations where broadband was wanted but unavailable.

Winter 2005
Small Business Broadband and Training Survey
Prescott-Russell Community Development Corporation

Survey of 1200 businesses in Prescott and Russell to measure the current level of internet usage and training needs. Funded by the Prescott-Russell CDC.

Winter 2003 to June 2005.
Connect Ontario Broadband Regional Access (MEDT)           

MEDT “Quick-Win” public-private partnership project that brought ADSL broadband infrastructure for municipally designated public buildings in Prescott-Russell and SD&G. Businesses and residents have also benefited.

Fall 2002 to Fall 2003
BRAND, Rounds One and Two
Broadband for Rural and Northern Development (Industry Canada)

CEONET wrote a business plan for building broadband infrastructure in First Nation Akwesasne, Champlain, La Nation, North Stormont, South Stormont, North Glengarry and South Glengarry, Alfred & Plantagenet, Clarence-Rockland, East Hawkesbury and Russell. The project included a survey that assessed how businesses use the internet.

Winter 2002 to Summer 2002
Local Labour Market Partnership (HRDC),

For this project, CEONET proposed and held four ICT-related job fairs in the region. To these was added a telephone survey of business ICT needs and job seeker availability. CEONET also organised a meeting for mayors and councillors that focussed on high-speed Internet and its implications for businesses and services in the region.

Fall 2000 to Winter 2003
Connect Ontario (MEST / MNR)

Connect Ontario was an ambitious program to support townships and municipalities in creating a portal for their communities, and to develop or extend GIS capability. CEONET received funding to write a business plan and in so doing brought four regional and municipal authorities together for the first time to work collaboratively on the project.

Summer 2000 to Spring 2001
Community Learning Network (HRDC, Office of Learning Technologies)

As a complement to an initiative taken by the Township of South Dundas to create a high-speed fibre optic network for its businesses and industry, CEONET wrote a proposal for business plan funding to develop a business training program. The project was intended to strengthen the business community in its understanding and skill of Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

Publication: Community Report

A.   How the internet can be used in local government, industry,
business and commerce

B.    Time and Cost

C.   South Dundas CLN Survey

Spring 2000
Data Services Improvement Program (DSIP)

CEONET’s first IT project, DSIP, was a program of community meetings that followed a major upgrade of switches in rural Ontario by Bell and independent telephone companies. The objective was to promote the improved connectivity although ADSL capability was not part of the upgrade. CEONET organised three public meetings in the region.