Telesat and the government of Ontario have partnered to bridge the digital divide in Ontario by leveraging Telesat’s low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite network, Telesat Lightspeed. This CAD 109 million agreement will diversify Ontario’s connectivity infrastructure, lay the groundwork for continued development and commercialisation of Canadian satellite technologies and pave the way for future economic growth and jobs, Telesat said.
Through this 5-year partnership, a dedicated Telesat Lightspeed capacity pool will be made available at substantially reduced rates to Canadian internet service providers (ISPs), including Indigenous-owned and -operated ISPs, as well as mobile network operators to expand broadband internet and LTE/5G networks to Ontario’s unserved and underserved communities.
As part of this partnership, Telesat will increase its Ontario-based staff by approximately 35 percent, growing to approximately 400 highly-skilled jobs, and invest CAD 20 million in capital expenditures for expansion of its Ontario facilities. Investments include a new gateway landing station at Telesat’s Allan Park teleport near Hanover, as well as the expansion of the company’s corporate headquarters in Ottawa, where the majority of its staff will be located.
Building on its 52-year history of operating in Ontario and partnering with Canadian academic institutions, Telesat will also continue to develop and inspire Ontario’s future workforce through collaborative research and development projects with Ontario-based universities and colleges. These projects provide opportunities for students to research and develop innovative space-based products to improve life on Earth. The transaction is subject to the entering into of a further, definitive agreement which Telesat expects to execute in the coming weeks.
