YorkNet is a Region-owned corporation that builds and manages a high-speed, open-access dark fibre network. What started out as a small network in 2002 has evolved into approximately a 200-kilometre fibre highway connecting a variety of Regional buildings and assets, including traffic control systems and water quality monitoring systems. This growth in the size of the network and demand from a growing number of users led to YorkNet’s incorporation as a wholly-owned subsidiary of York Region in 2018.

With access to high-speed internet recognized as a key economic and innovation enabler, YorkNet provides cost-effective, less-restrictive connectivity to:

• York Region facilities
• The broader public sector (local municipalities, universities, schools and hospitals)
• Private-sector entities through open access to dark fibre infrastructure

This corporation is part of York Region’s commitment to improved broadband, one of York Regional Council’s key priorities and a grounding principle of the York Region's Economic Development Action Plan.

Opportunities

Telecommunication and Internet Service Providers

Telecommunication and Internet Service Providers can access York Region’s public, open-access dark fibre network for flexible capacity and connectivity options, including the opportunity to:

• Extend your network footprint
• Take advantage of our high-quality network
• Access dark fibre and scale your bandwidth to meet consumer demand
• Get you to your customers faster and more cost-efficiently

The Broader Public Sector

There are a variety of benefits for municipalities, universities, school boards, hospitals and others to connect to YorkNet’s advanced dark fibre network. These include:

• Accessing York Region’s public, open-access dark fibre network for flexible capacity and connectivity options
• Improving broadband availability over time to better connect York Region, especially in rural and underserved areas
• Accessing unlimited bandwidth via dark fibre, ideal for high-bandwidth activities, cloud-based applications and remote data centre operations

For information on pricing, please contact yorknet@york.ca

Board of Directors

• York Region Chairman and CEO Wayne Emmerson
• Mayor Virginia Hackson, Town of East Gwillimbury
• Mayor Steven Pellegrini, Township of King
• Mayor Margaret Quirk, Town of Georgina
• Mayor Frank Scarpitti, City of Markham
• Regional Councillor Jim Jones, City of Markham
• Regional Councillor Gino Rosati, City of Vaughan
• A.J. (Tony) Van Bynen, Citizen Member
  

Contact

General enquiries: yorknet@york.ca

General Manager: Laura Bradley,
Phone: 1-877-464-9675 ext. 71492.
Email: laura.bradley@york.ca

Related Resources

• YTN Telecom Network Inc. Implementation and Board Appointment Report
• York Region Broadband Strategy Annual Update 2017 Report
• York Region's Economic Development Action Plan