Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Ford Stands by Starlink Cancellation as Ontario Delays Universal Internet to 2028

With no comparable substitute for Starlink, the province’s broadband plan has slipped three years beyond the original 2025 goal.

Overview

  • Premier Doug Ford said he does not regret terminating the $100 million SpaceX deal, which he framed as retaliation for President Donald Trump’s tariffs.
  • The government has acknowledged it will miss the provincewide high‑speed internet deadline for 2025 and now projects completion in 2028.
  • Officials say no feasible alternative satellite provider can immediately match Starlink’s capacity, leaving about 15,000 northern homes without the planned service.
  • Ontario paid a break fee to end the contract and is moving to speed fibre deployment through easier attachments to hydro poles as remote construction continues to face setbacks.
  • Rival constellations are not yet ready, with Telesat guiding test launches for late 2026 and bulk launches in 2027, while Project Kuiper and OneWeb remain behind in scale.