The Doug Ford government will not meet its 2025 goal to bring high-speed internet to all Ontarians, Global News has learned.
The delay comes after the province cancelled a $100 million contract with Elon Musk’s Starlink satellite service, which was meant to connect roughly 15,000 northern homes, due to a feud with U.S. President Donald Trump and tariffs slapped on Canada.
According to Global News, the decision was part of Premier Doug Ford’s response to tariffs announced by U.S. President Donald Trump earlier this year. Ford said in March he would “rip up” the deal to retaliate against the trade measures, calling the partnership with Musk “done.”
The cancellation reportedly caused major setbacks for Ontario’s broadband rollout, as Starlink’s network had no viable replacement. Other satellite providers depend on Musk’s technology, leaving the province short on alternatives. Construction challenges in remote regions have added further delays.
Officials now expect the universal broadband target to be reached by 2028, three years later than first promised. The government is introducing new rules allowing internet companies to attach fibre cables to hydro poles more easily, hoping to speed up installations.
Still, the decision to cut ties with Starlink raises broader questions: if working with a company linked to Trump’s administration was unacceptable, where does Ontario draw the line? Major U.S. firms—including Apple, whose CEO Tim Cook has maintained close ties with Trump—continue to operate widely in Canada.
Would Ontario also consider banning iPhones, Macs, or iPads under the same logic? Critics say that line of reasoning could quickly spiral into impractical territory as global trade and politics intersect.
Shopify CEO Tobi Lutke criticized the Ontario government, saying, “Very bad thing to do. Starlink is incomparable and unique with no credible other provider on the horizon. Terrible waste of taxpayer money to not let starlink get this done. Now all the usual government grifters will promise Ontario to get the same thing done with massive overruns. Just give the contract back to starlink and see if they will honor it.”
Back in July, when Ontario officially cancelled the Starlink deal, the cancellation fee paid by the province was kept secret from taxpayers.
While there are potential Starlink alternatives on the horizon, they are far from being widely implemented, such as Telesat (which has a $2.1 billion loan from Ottawa) and MDA Space. Despite the perception that Telesat and MDA Space are purely Canadian entities, major US firms such as EQ Advisors Trust and Highland funds for Telesat, alongside Senvest Management, Capital Research and Management Company, and FMR LLC for MDA Space, provide substantial backing to these satellite and space technology leaders.
Want to see more of our stories on Google?
P.S. Want to keep this site truly independent? Support us by buying us a beer, treating us to a coffee, or shopping through Amazon here. Links in this post are affiliate links, so we earn a tiny commission at no charge to you. Thanks for supporting independent Canadian media!
Starlink sells service directly to end users, so there should be no issues with "delays". Anyone wanting internet can merely sign up to the Starling service and pay for it monthly.
John Quintet, to your question where to draw the line: Tim Cook never said that “Canada is not a real country” nor he had any open hostility towards our country. Elon Musk did. That’s a pretty good place to draw the line.