Ontario ditches Starlink deal, leaving remote communities with few alternatives

By Sonal Gupta, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter The Ontario government killed its $100-million deal with Elon Musk’s Starlink, leaving rural and remote communities in northern Ontario in the dark about their future internet access. The decision, part of a broader political strategy by Ontario Premier Doug Ford in response to American tariffs, alarms those who rely on Starlink for critical services like healthcare, business operations and emergency services. The now-cancelled Ontario Satellite Internet program, launched in November, was supposed to bring high-speed internet to 15,000 eligible homes and businesses in northern Ontario using Starlink’s low-Earth orbit satellite technology starting in June 2025. The provincial government offered to cover equipment and installation costs for eligible customers, with residential plans for $140 per month and business plans for $185. It was part…

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