Body: Council Type: Agenda Meeting: Special Date: May 14, 2025 Collection: Council Agendas Municipality: Frontenac County
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Document Text
Special Joint Council Meeting Wednesday, May 14, 2025 –5:00 p.m. Virtual Electronic Format https://youtube.com/live/vsAhoIzp3AQ?feature=share
AGENDA Page Call to Order Disclosure of Pecuniary Interest and General Nature Thereof
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Items of Business a) Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORN Cell Gap Coverage project. Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORN Cell Gap Coverage project. By-Laws – General By-laws and Confirmatory By-law a) First and Second Reading Resolved That leave be given the mover to introduce by-law a) that has been circulated to all Members of County Council and that by-law a) be read a first and second time. b)
Third Reading Resolved That by-law a) be read a third time, signed, sealed and finally passed.
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By-Laws To confirm all actions and proceedings of County Council on May 14, 2025 [Proposed By-law No. 2025-020] To confirm all actions and proceedings of County Council on May 14, 2025 Adjournment
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May 14, 2025
2 of 23 Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORNPage …
The County of Frontenac EORN Cell Gap Project Update
• Cell Gap Project update
• EORN Strategic Plan 2024-2028 • Questions
3 of 23 Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORNPage …
Agenda
4 of 23 Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORNPage …
Cell Gap Project Update
5 of 23 Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORNPage …
EORN Cell Gap Project Goals
Achieve 99% coverage in the eastern Ontario region where people live, work and travel on major roadways so that they can make and receive cell phone calls.
Achieve 95% coverage in the eastern Ontario region where people live, work and travel on major roadways with standard definition service level which can support email, web browsing and social media services.
Achieve 85% coverage in the eastern Ontario region where people live, work and travel on major roadways with high-definition service level which can support video conferencing, movie streaming and other more data intensive applications.
6 of 23 Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORNPage …
Financial – Funding Details Over $300 million dollar investment in eastern Ontario before in-kind contributions and community benefits.
Rogers $150,000,000
Government of Ontario $71,000,000
(Minimum investment)
Government of Canada $70,981,235 EOWC/EOMC $10,123,699
7 of 23 Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORNPage …
EORN Cell Gap Project Project investment in the region will result in an average of 30:1 return on investment for EOWC.
Type
Total project
% Inservice
New builds
258
51%
Uplifts
311
100%
Co-locations
74
87%
Many of the sites in service may support home internet. Residents should check at their local Rogers outlet. 79% of project completed. New towers planned New towers in-service Uplifts completed Co-locations planned Co-locations in service Subject to change April 15, 2025
8 of 23 Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORNPage …
Frontenac County Frontenac County has invested $389,750 with $17 million of infrastructure being made in the county. 44:1 return on investment.
Type
Total project
% Inservice
New builds
13
46%
Upgrades
13
100%
Co-locations
4
67%
All upgrades are completed. Four of six co-locations are completed, and six of 13 new sites are in service. 72% of Frontenac sites completed. New towers planned New towers in-service Uplifts completed Co-locations planned Co-locations in service Subject to change April 15, 2025
9 of 23 Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORNPage …
EORN Cell Gap Project Construction Plan
Note that many Year 3 sites which were delayed were constructed in Year 4.
Page Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORN … 10 of 23
Frontenac County Construction Plan
Page Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORN … 11 of 23
Current HD Coverage Versus Final HD Coverage
94.3% against demand 86.9% against demand
Red is weak coverage
Fall of 2024 Fall of 2021 Page Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORN … 12 of 23
Drive Test Data
Page Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORN … 13 of 23
EORN Activities 2024 Due to public funding and support for the project, there is an expectation by elected officials and the public for regular updates on the status of the project.
66 320
Updates to municipalities and municipal associations
Public inquiries for the Cell Gap Project and broadband projects
35 2
Meetings with ministry staff, MPs and MPPs
14
Two joint press releases were issued this year, and one is ready but delayed to provincial and federal elections
Two newsletters were issued this year, and 12 monthly projects shared with EOWC members, MPs and MPPs
108
Meetings and calls with First Nations and Indigenous Communities
Page Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORN … 14 of 23
Timelines and Next Steps • Upgrades to existing towers
2021 - 2024
• Land use authority process
2021 - 2025
• Indigenous consultation process
2021 - 2026
• New tower construction
2022 - 2026
• Announcements
2022 – 2026
• Pursue other initiatives
2022 - 2030
Page Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORN … 15 of 23
Evolution of the Canadian Telecommunication Landscape Telecoms are working with third-party investors to reduce their debt, increase shareholders profits and maintain and grow their networks. •
Blackstone Networks o Rogers Communications announced that it has finalized an agreement to sell a 49.9% stake in a portion of its wireless traffic transport infrastructure for $7 billion to Blackstone. o Blackstone will hold a 20% voting stake, while Rogers retains the remaining shares and maintains full operational control of the infrastructure network.
•
o Rogers has the option to buy back the minority stake between 2033 and 2037.
Redwood Infrastructure
o Rogers Communications recently finalized a significant financial agreement with Redwood Infrastructure, which involves the sale and transfer of critical vertical real estate assets that form part of Rogers’ wireless infrastructure. o Model could create a more competitive landscape as Redwood Infrastructure is a supporter of co-location models. o Redwood has also been introduced in the fibre-to-the-home (FTTH) network build.
Page Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORN … 16 of 23
Evolution of the Canadian Telecommunication Landscape cont. •
Bell Canada o November 2024 Bell announced the purchase of Ziply Networks the largest, regionally-focused fibre internet provider in the U.S. Pacific Northwest, with operations and assets in Washington, Oregon, Idaho and Montana. o Bell divested their stake in MLSE and paid $7 billion for Ziply. o Reaction to an ongoing battle between Bell and the CRTC on the CRTC direction for Bell to open their FTTH network to smaller ISPs.
•
Telus Announcement o March 2025 Telus announced that it is selling a minority stake (49.5%) in the 3,000-tower portfolio to raise funds to reduce its debt. o Valued between $1-3 billion.
•
Xplore Networks o Announced the release of their 5G Ultra Highspeed network across Canada. o A number of towers in eastern Ontario will be upgraded with this technology allowing speeds of up to 250 Mbps.
Page Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORN … 17 of 23
EORN Strategic Plan
Page Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORN … 18 of 23
EORN Strategic Plan cont. • EORN is almost one year into their four-year strategic plan • The change to EORN’s letters of patent allows for greater versatility to work on various projects within the region • EORN’s four key services are: • Project management services • Infrastructure project services • Technology services support • Municipal support
• EORN works closely with the EOWC and EOLC to ensure possible projects align
Page Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORN … 19 of 23
EORN’s Current Initiatives • Development and successful implementation of a duty to consult process • Automated speed enforcement introduction and review with Lanark • Canadian Internet Registry Authority (CIRA) partnership in broadband performance • Very last premise (VLP) projects to close the gaps in the provincial broadband projects • Geographic information system (GIS) mapping exercise working to support digital twin (EOLC) • Regional procurement model for joint services, such as cybersecurity
Page Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORN … 20 of 23
CIRA Performance Testing
All tests since 2015
•
EORN has signed on as a community partner with CIRA to help gather data about internet speeds across the region.
•
EORN will use the data to help identify real gap areas and develop programs to fill them.
•
Need participation from residents across the region.
•
Prior to testing, important to move the black pin as close as possible to the test location.
•
Page Presentation by The Eastern Ontario Regional Network (EORN) on the EORN … 21 of 23
Questions
By-Law No. 2025-020 of The Corporation of the County OF Frontenac being a by-law to confirm all actions and proceedings of County Council on May 14, 2025
Whereas Section 8 of the Municipal Act, S.O. 2001, c.25 and amendments thereto provides that a municipality has the capacity, rights, powers and privileges of a natural person for the purpose of exercising its authority under the Municipal Act or any other Act; and; Whereas Subsection 2 of Section 11 of the Municipal Act, S.O. 2001, c.25 and amendments thereto provides that a lower-tier municipality and an upper-tier municipality may pass by-laws respecting matters within the spheres of jurisdiction described in the Table to Subsection 2 subject to certain provisions, and; Whereas Section 5 of the Municipal Act, S.O. 2001, c. 25 and amendments thereto provides that a municipal power, including a municipality’s capacity, rights, powers and privileges under Section 8 shall be exercised by its council and by by-law unless the municipality is specifically authorized to do otherwise; and; Whereas the Council of the County of Frontenac deems it expedient to confirm its actions and proceedings; Now Therefore Be It Resolved That the Council of the Corporation of the County of Frontenac hereby enacts as follows:
- That all actions and proceedings of the Council of the County of Frontenac taken at its special meeting held on May 14, 2025, be confirmed as actions for which the municipality has the capacity, rights, powers and privileges of a natural person.
- That all actions and proceedings of the Council of the County of Frontenac taken at its special meeting held on May 14, 2025, be confirmed as being matters within the spheres of jurisdiction described in Subsection 2 of Section 11 of the Municipal Act, S.O. 2001, c.25 and amendments thereto.
- That all actions and proceedings of the Council of the Corporation of the County of Frontenac taken at its special meeting held on May 14, 2025, except those taken by by-law and those required by by-law to be done by resolution are hereby sanctioned, ratified and confirmed as though set out within and forming part of this by-law.
To confirm all actions and proceedings of County Council on May 14, 2025…
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4. That this by-law shall come into force and take effect as of the final passing thereof. Read a First and Second Time this 14th day of May 2025 Read a Third Time and Finally Passed, Signed and Sealed this 14th day of May 2025.
The Corporation of the County of Frontenac
Gerry Lichty, Warden
Jannette Amini, Clerk
By-Law No. 2025-020 – To Confirm all Actions and Proceedings of County Council May 14, 2025
To confirm all actions and proceedings of County Council on May 14, 2025…
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