Premier Doug Ford’s government has signed a $100 million deal with Elon Musk’s SpaceX to provide high-speed internet access to remote residents in rural and northern Ontario.

Infrastructure Minister Kinga Surma said the new so-called ONSAT program will bring SpaceX’s Starlink satellite broadband internet system to 15,000 premises.

She says the service will be used to connect people living in the most difficult to access areas of the province to the Internet.

Surma says the system will be operational next summer and the investment covers equipment and installation costs, but not monthly fees.

The province has invested $2.5 billion in 270 projects aimed at connecting 550,000 Ontarians to high-speed internet.

Infrastructure Ontario says SpaceX has won several other bids.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published November 14, 2024.

Liam Casey, The Canadian Press