YorkNet
Incorporated in 2017, YorkNet is a Region-owned corporation that plans, builds, operates, manages and maintains a high-speed, dark-fibre network across York Region. It is focused on maintaining and expanding the Region’s telecom network to support economic development and innovation in York Region, and to provide cost-effective and open-access fibre connectivity for the Region.
YorkNet has been expanding throughout York Region to support the delivery of Regional services while collaborating with public-sector partners like municipalities, hospitals and schools to improve their access to high-speed internet and enable connection, innovation, and economic and education improvements.
In addition, YorkNet provides private-sector partners like internet service providers with open access to its network to enhance access to high-speed internet for residents and businesses, especially those in rural and underserved communities in York Region.
Vision, Mission & Focus
Vision
Helping create equitable access to high-speed internet
Mission
Expanding open access to high-speed internet throughout York Region
Focus
Planning, building and operating an affordable, reliable and sustainable fibre network across York Region
Mandate
Growing York Region’s dark fibre network
Improve the delivery of Regional services, such as traffic management, transit systems, water/waste water control management, security monitoring, policing and cloud-enabled applications
Collaborating with public-sector organizations to improve high-speed internet service
Work with municipalities, hospitals, libraries, fire halls, schools, community centres and other public sector organizations to improve broadband services they deliver using our network
Providing private-sector organizations with open access to the network
Drive economic and social benefits and enhance broadband service for the Region’s residents and businesses, particularly in rural and underserved areas of the Region
Governance
YTN Telecom Network Inc. (YorkNet is the operational name) is a Municipal Services Corporation established under Ontario Regulation 599/06. As a municipal corporation, YorkNet’s operations are governed by the Ontario Business Corporations Act (OBCA), rather than the Municipal Act, as is the case for York Region and all municipalities in Ontario.
Board of Directors
- Chairman and CEO Wayne Emmerson, York Region
- Mayor Iain Lovatt, Town of Whitchurch-Stouffville
- Mayor Steven Pellegrini, Township of King
- Mayor Margaret Quirk, Town of Georgina
- Mayor Frank Scarpitti, City of Markham
- Regional Councillor, Michael Chan, City of Markham
- Regional Councillor, Joe DiPaola, City of Richmond Hill
- Regional Councillor, Mario G. Racco, City of Vaughan
- Regional Councillor, Tom Vegh, Town of Newmarket
YorkNet’s Network Expansion
To help close the digital divide and provide access to high-speed internet to every corner of the Region, YorkNet is embarking on a large-scale expansion of its dark fibre network. To help support the expansion YorkNet applied for and received funding from the federal and provincial governments through the Universal Broadband Fund.
The Universal Broadband Fund, together with investments from the Region and the Internet Service Provider of the project, totals nearly $120 million and will allow YorkNet to expand its network by hundreds of kilometres and reach thousands of underserved homes.
This is welcome news for the Region and those who live in underserved areas.
To provide more information, YorkNet has hosted Information Sessions in communities across the Region to provide an overview of YorkNet’s role in bringing dark fibre to underserved communities to enable high-speed internet access.
YorkNet staff provide an overview of project plans and the Internet Service Provider (ISP) of the project, Galaxy Fibre provides information about internet services coming to the underserved areas of the Region.
Upcoming Session:
Wednesday, November 15, 2023
7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Ballantrae Community Centre
5592 Aurora Rd, Whitchurch-Stouffville
If you would like more information about YorkNet’s network expansion, please contact @email.
Network Connections and Kilometres Built
YorkNet Annual Reports
Partnering with YorkNet
Telecommunication and Internet Service Providers
Telecommunication and internet service providers can access York Region’s public, dark-fibre network for flexible capacity and connectivity options, including the opportunity to:
- Extend network footprint
- Take advantage of YorkNet’s high-quality network
- Access dark-fibre and scale bandwidth to meet consumer demand
- Ability to service customers faster and more cost-efficiently
The Broader Public Sector
YorkNet’s advanced dark-fibre network provides a variety of benefits for municipalities, universities, schools, hospitals and other public services, including bridging the digital divide in rural and underserved areas and supporting high-bandwidth activities such as cloud-based applications and remote data centre operations.
Contact Us
For more information on partnering with YorkNet to deliver or receive high-speed internet in York Region, please contact @email.
